"Impartiality is not neutrality. It is partiality for justice." - Stanisław Jerzy Lec (1909-1966)
Name: Fran Oborski
"Cześć!" Polish Community in Kidderminster - information and news
Arkadia - the beautiful Polish 18th / 19th century park at Lowicz near Warsaw in photos
Church of Our Lady of Ostra Brama
Completorium - Polish Early Music
Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Kidderminster - all the latest news
Elektryczne Gitary - Polish rock group
Fryderyck Chopin - The Frederick Chopin Society of Warsaw
Karel Szymanowski - the great Polish composer of the early 20th Century
Kroke - Krakow - Polish Klezmer band
Liberal Group, Wyre Forest District Council - all the very latest news
M/S Pilsudski - the great pre-war Polish Ocean liner
Maanam - Polish rock group
Marshal Edward Rydz-Śmigły
Marshal Jozef Pilsudski - the great Polish revolutionary, soldier, statesman and leader
Mike & Fran Oborski
Motion Trio - Accordions like you never heard before!
Offmore Comberton Action Group
Orkiestra św. Mikołaja - St Nicholas Orchestra - folk
Poles in Great Britain - online discussion group
Projekt Karpaty Magiczne - Magic Carpathians Project - Band
Radio Hey Now - bilingual Polish Radio in UK!
Roger McGuinn's Blog
Roxanne Panufnik - beauty & talent ! Superb Anglo-Polish Composer
Stare Dobre Malzenstwo - Polish group
The Bigos Bar - the only web site devoted to bigos - the Polish national dish
Trebunie Tutki - Polish Highlander Band
Voo Voo - Polish group
Warsaw Village Band - Polish Folk / Rock
Warszawski Dom Tańca - Warsaw House of Dance
Wilki - Polish rock group
Wyre Forest Holocaust Memorial
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Chemo Chronicles 5
One of the odd aspects of my deepening relationship with chemotherapy is the "Is it the chemo?" issue. For example. if I feel tired is it because I would be tired anyway or is it because of "the chemo"? Actually, sometimes I know which is which (there is a definite exhaustion wall that I seem to go through now on chemo that wasn't there before) but sometimes I don't.
What worries me more is that other people are either making allowances for me because of the chemo or undervaluing my opinions ("Oh, he's on 'chemo'" translating as "He's not quite on the ball") because of the chemo.
Of course the catch is that if my judgement has suffered then by definition I wouldn't realise it myself because my judgement has suffered. Actually, between short sharp bouts of exhaustion, I'm working flat out and probably over-compensating by paying more attention to detail than ever before just in case I am missing anything. Of course by doing that I'm probably making myself more tired than I would otherwise have been and so the chemo is indirectly as well as directly tiring me.
Getting that off my chest has done me good. Reading what I have written I am perfectly aware how trite and inconsequential my problms are compared to what so many people are going through. It is also a timely to remind myself that dealing with cancer and the threat of cancer can make you selfish and far too introspective. So I'd better get moving...
Americana UK say...
The Road Hammers “The Road Hammers” (Independent 2005) Since the demise of Molly Hatchet (the current incarnation doesn't count) and the veering of Lynyrd Skynyrd into a poor cover version of their former selves, there's a vacancy for a premier Southern rock boogie band. Do the Road Hammers get the job? On 7 out of 10 tracks (plus additional outtakes, video and screen saver) of this CD they sure do. 'I'm a Road Hammer', Overdrive', 'Heart With Four Wheel Drive' and 'The Hammer Goin Down' all power along like they're hauling goods on Route 66. That’s the theme of this album; a homage to the (Canadian) truckers that are the "lifeline to the nation". All is going swimmingly in the rig and The Road Hammers provide excellent versions of Jerry Reed's 'East Bound and Down' and Little Feat's 'Willin'; both rockier and countrier versions of the originals. Best tracks are co-written by the band's founder Jason McCoy, although 'Call It A Day' and 'Nashville Bound' get dangerously close to Nashville schmaltz and Vince Gill territory. This ain't just a CD for the truckers. But it's best to play it loud, preferably when at the wheel of your Western Star. Ten four breaker breaker. www.theroadhammers.com
Chemo Chronicles 4
Well, here I am back into the second cycle of chemotherapy (the whole course is 8 cycles of 3 weeks - each one 2 weeks on and 1 week off).
A few days into the first cycle I was suddenly totally exhausted. Today at the same point into the second cycle I hit that wall again. I am so tired and exhausted I can't do anything not even fall asleep! I hope I get through this barrier as fast as I did first time round (ie. after about 48 hours). We will have to see.
The Kaczyńskis Take All
From Warsaw Voice
The winner of the Polish elections is a tough, pro-welfare, traditional, Catholic politician whose priority is settling accounts with the past. The loser is a moderate, conservative-liberal, but less distinctive politician.
The main question is: How will Lech Kaczyński use his unexpectedly huge power?
The Rockall Times is at it again...
Man hospitalised by Tory leadership battle
A Basingstoke man was last night described as "critical but stable" in a local hospital suffering from an apparent overdose of Tory leadership battle which left him partially paralysed and unable to speak.
New developments in Tory leadership race...
(No, this isn't an original joke! Anyone know where it came from? Answer later)
Currently playing here...
Al Stewart...
Group of us went over to see Al Stewart at the Robin 2 last night. He was in wonderful form - relax and laid back - the vocals and playing were just brilliant. Al has never been fashionable. Most people just know him for "Year Of The Cat" and don't realise the scope and depth of his back catalogue. Others are deterred by his reputation for "historical" ballads. Magazines like "Uncut", "Mojo" and "Q" are inclined to dismiss him as an outdated singer songwriter. It's a great shame as his latest album "A Beach Full Of Shells" is one of his best and his concerts are stunning.
Charlie Brooker in todays Guardian. Love it...
Suppose...
What's the most offensive thing you could possibly do in public?
Close run thing...
The Liberal PO (Civic Platform) went into the Parliamentary Election a few weeks ago just ahead of the Conservative PiS (Law & Justice) in the opinion polls but emerged trailing in second place. Yesterday's Presidential Election was different. The PO Candidate (Tusk) went into the election just ahead of the PiS candidate (Kaczynski) in the opinion polls and, if exit polls are to be believed, he emerged with more or less exactly the predicted lead in the first round of the Presidential Election yesterday.
In the Parliamentary election it seemed that PiS voters were more determined to actually turn out and vote and that swayed the balance. Yesterday that did not happen. Tusk looked vastly relieved on Polish TV while Kaczynski for once looked a little down beat and must wonder what he has to do to win in the second round where he goes head to head with Tusk.
Both men will be aware that the votes of 29.2% of those who voted on Sunday are now up for grabs. These are the votes of those who voted for candidates who did not make it to the second round. Some of course, having seen their candidate defeated, will simply not vote in that second round. Others will want to see which of the two survivors is closest to their own viewpoint.
As right wing populist Lepper ran third with 15% and left winger Borowski was fourth with 10% appealing to extreme left and right at the same time looks difficult at first glance. However, voters on the extremes in Poland have more in common than might be expected and Kaczynski may be better placed than Tusk to appeal to their mutual longing for protection of jobs and the the tackling of unemployment.
In addition there is that marginally just over 50% of the Polish electorate who did not vote in the first round. Can any of those be tempted out to vote? If so it will probably be because of fear of "a" winning rather than enthusiasm for what "b" has to offer!
Most commentators seem resigned to a rough and potentially brutal two weeks of campaigning before we see the end of the story. Both Tusk and Kaczynski know this morning that it is all still there for the winning if only they can make the next two weeks work for them!
Exit poll...
Warsaw, Oct. 9: Civic Platform's Donald Tusk got 38.6 percent of votes and Law and Justice's Lech Kaczynski - 32.2 percent, another TNS OBOP and PBS exit poll for Polish state television TVP showed.
The turnout was 49.6 percent.
A runoff between the two top contenders will be held in two weeks, on October 23. (PAP)
I love election slogans!
They are usually totally meaningless! Here are the crop from today's Polish Presidential Elections with my personal scores (just for the slogan you understand) out of 10. If it was just a matter of slogans I might find myself with Korwin-Mikke!
Henryka Bochniarz - Facts is what I choose (nice lady but dreadful, dreadful election slogan) 0/10
Marek Borowski - An honest man of the left (which tells you what he thinks of the rest of the left!) 6/10
Leszek Bubel - Not the left. Not the right. Only Poland. (A variation on the old UK Liberal Party "Not Left, Not Right, But Forward" which was snappier and equally meaningless) 3/10
Liwiusz Ilasz - Above political system (Yes, yawn!) 1/10
Lech Kaczyński - Strong president, fair Poland (One of the two candidates in with a chance of winning his slogan encapsulates his constant campaign message) 8/10
Jarosław Kalinowski - Efficient for Poland (boring, boring, boring and the Peasant Party aren't famous for efficiency!) 1/10
Janusz Korwin-Mikke - I am fed up just like you are! (No chance of winning but I do just love the slogan. He adds a touch of spice to the campaign!) 10/10 for fun, 4/10 politically
Andrzej Lepper - A man with character (yes, an extreme nationalist populist character!) 2/10
Jan Pyszko - Together with Polonia ("Polonia" means Poles scattered worldwide. He might do better appealing to Poles in Poland!) 1/10
Adam Słomka (can't find his slogan)
Donald Tusk - A man of rules (The front runner who has slipping back. Compare his slogan with Kaczynski's and it might give you a clue about why and about the difference in their styles!) 2/10
Stanisław Tymiński - Let Poland be our mother and not a cruel step-mother (Out to lunch!) 0/10
Nice album but missed opportunity! Of the 12 track no less half are from the Warsaw Village Band and three are from a single Trebunie Tutki album and arguably not their best (w Sherwood). Two of the other tracks are from Kroke. It'd all great stuff but it plays safe and generally sticks with the names that are by definition already most likely to be known abroad anyway.
The one stunning revelation is "Train To Heaven" by Motion Trio - an amazing trio of accordionists! We could have done with more of that!
Campaign Closes...
The Presidential Campaign closes midnight tonight with silence throught till the end of voting which takes place on Sunday.
Opinion Polls suggest a close result!
PSB : Tusk (PO - Civic Platform - economic liberal) 40%, Kaczynski (PiS - Law & Justice - rightist) 34% , Lepper (Samoobrona - Self Defence - bationalist populist) 13%, Borowski (SDLP - Social Democracy of Poland - splinter from old outgoing ruling post-communist left) 7%
PGB : Tusk 32%, Kaczynski 31%, Lepper 13%, Borowaki 13%
OBOP : Tusk 40%, Kaczynski 34%, Lepper 9%, Borowski 8%
It looks as if neither of the lead pair can hit over 50% to deliver a knockout blow in the first round. The election looks all set to go to a second round later this month.
THE WALKABOUTS
How do you explain about a rock band to people who have never heard their name let alone ever heard their musis?! It's next to impossible. How The Walkabouts have eluded fame and fortune is utterly beyond me. Since the early 90s The Walkabout's - and their side projects - have delivered at least 24 albums all of them nothing less than excellent, some of them totally brilliant, all of them distinctive and yet at the same time all of them, well, The Walkabouts.
The latest album "Acetyllene" is The Walkabouts at their rockiest and sharpest.
I've just picked up on four of the side projects which were previously missing from my collection. The devastatingly beautiful Chris & Carla ""Want To Swing From You" which goes straight on my list of all time great albums. Still to play Chris & carla with The Mylos All Stars "Nights Between Stations - Live In Thessalonika", Chris & Carla and The Walkabouts "Music From The Motion Picture Where The Air In Cool And Dark", and Chris Eckman's "Music From The Series Novi Svet".
Like most rock 'n' roll bands, the Walkabouts may have chosen their name just because it sounded cool. But with two decades of experience fading behind them in the rearview mirror (of a rented van, most likely) Chris Eckman and Carla Torgerson—the vocals-and-guitars tandem who have guided the gypsy-like Seattle outfit's fortunes from the beginning—can see clearly now what an appropriate tag it was. Objects viewed through this looking glass were not necessarily closer than they appeared.
The head of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Ian Blair has admitted that he thought very hard about staying on in his post and continuing to draw a large salary following the death of a Brazilian killed at Stockwell Tube Station and was able to do so despite overwhelming pressure from himself to not to resign.
Chemo Chronicles 3
Problem. When you are on chemo and you feel rough how do you know if it the chemo causing it or if it's simply your turn to feel rough anyway? Either way I have a touch of nausea today.
It's National Poetry Day...
Here is the Polish poet Zbigniew Herbert imagining what is running through the mind of Fortinbras as he contemplates the dead body of Hamlet...
Elegy of Fortinbras (Zbigniew Herbert)
Now that we’re alone we can talk prince man to man
though you lie on the stairs and see no more than a dead ant
nothing but black sun with broken rays
I could never think of your hands without smiling
and now that they lie on the stone like fallen nests
they are as defenceless as before The end is exactly this
The hands lie apart The sword lies apart The head apart
and the knight’s feet in soft slippersYou will have a soldier’s funeral without having been a soldier
the only ritual I am acquainted with a little
there will be no candles no singing only cannon-fuses and bursts
crepe dragged on the pavement helmets boots artillery horses drums drums I know nothing exquisite those will be my manoeuvres before I start to rule
one has to take the city by the neck and shake it a bitAnyhow you had to perish Hamlet you were not for life
you believed in crystal notions not in human clay
always twitching as if asleep you hunted chimeras
wolfishly you crunched the air only to vomit
you knew no human thing you did not know even how to breatheNow you have peace Hamlet you accomplished what you had to
and you have peace The rest is not silence but belongs to me
you chose the easier part an elegant thrust
but what is heroic death compared with eternal watching
with a cold apple in one’s hand on a narrow chair
with a view of the ant-hill and the clock’s dialAdieu prince I have tasks a sewer project
and a decree on prostitutes and beggars
I must also elaborate a better system of prisons
since as you justly said Denmark is a prison
I go to my affairs This night is born
a star named Hamlet We shall never meet
what I shall leave will not be worth a tragedyIt is not for us to greet each other or bid farewell we live on archipelagos
and that water these words what can they do what can they do prince
Tusk picking up
According to a recent survey Donald Tusk tops the popularity polls just days ahead of the elections. He has gained 45% support while his rival Lech Kaczynski from Law and Justice scored 34% as published by TNS-OBOP poll.9% of the respondents will support Marek Borowski, leader of the leftists Social democracy for Poland, while 8% will cast their vote for Andrzej Lepper from the populist Self defence farmers’ union. Should no candidate score the required 50% in the first round, a second run off is scheduled for October 23rd.
Chemo Chronicles 2
I really do not like being tied to a regime where I have to force a hanful of pills down my throut twice a day - but still it''s not a real problem.
Only side effects so far is sock slippage. I'm using skin cream on the palms of my hands and the soles of my feet to preempt anny soreness and skin peeling. As a result my socks keep slipping off my feet and end up located wedged in the toes of my shoes. Could be worse
Children's Villages Clothing Collection?
Don't be fooled. Get the facts!
Tory view of modern Britain...
Lucy Mangan in today's Guardian has two reasons for being grateful to the Tory Conference in Blackpool. I'll leave you to discover the first for yourself but:-
The second is the sheer entertainment value of moments such as that in yesterday's speech by Francis Maude, when the chairman of the last bastion of socio-cultural ossification started advocating change in the Tory party because "we sound like people who just don't like modern Britain".
What an odd thing to say, I mused, as I removed one or two pins from my Gillian doll. Nobody likes modern Britain, Maudster. That's practically its definition. Whether they articulate it or not, most people have a nameless void within them that is filled with the sound of endless weeping. Fresh sobs abound whenever they set foot outside and negotiate a world of feral teenagers, filthy hospitals and fatal viruses, read the increasingly apocalyptic stories of hurricanes, melting icecaps, mass murder, pestilence and famine, or turn on their televisions and find nothing but women masturbating pigs, fat people having enemas or EastEnders.
Gradually, however, light dawned. It's been so long since I left the sound up when a Conservative comes on screen that I'd forgotten how careful one needs to be in translating what they say. There is always a bit of slippage between what Tories mean by certain words and what the rest of the country understands by them. (I remember, for example, how in the 80s they kept using "Thatcherite" as a kind of badge of honour instead of an elastic definition of all that was necrotic and evil in the world.) Here it's a slippage of a few centuries. When a normal person refers to hating modern Britain, they usually mean the Britain of the last 10, 20 or 30 years, depending on the speaker's age - in any case, a Britain in living memory. When a Tory says it, he in all likelihood means everything since Elizabeth I died.
With this in mind, Maude makes perfect sense. He is actually doing no more than encouraging his party to move on from grieving for the Virgin Queen and, in the fullness of time, to embrace new-fangled inventions such as crinoline and open their minds to the penny-farthing bicycle. We've still got a while to go before they get to grips with what modernity really means and by then, of course, they'll all be dead. And then everybody's happy.
Captions welcome!
Own goals in extra time?
Polish opinion polls show Donald Tusk (PO - Civic Platform) ahead of Leszek Kaczynski (PiS - Law & Justice). The size of the lead varies and the trend is unclear. Some show the gap closing fast while others have it remaining static.
In the Parliamentary Election PO went in with a similar opinion poll lead but trailed PiS on the day. PiS adopted a more aggressive stance in the run up to polling day, had widespread Church backing and its voters proved more determined to turn out.
If history repeats itself just a few weeks later then the result of the first Presidential election round could be very close indeed. PiS is certainly putting up a very tough campaign again. One Polish paper headlined with "Kaczynski attacks! Tusk defends!" If that is the case then we are in for a really dirty week while the two front runners battle it out in the second round.
The impact of the last minute campaigning is very difficult to judge. Today the main national paper carried a 30 page supplement in the capital unveiling the Mayor's strategy for the future of Warsaw. The Mayor of Warsaw is a certain Leszek Kaczynski! Will the supplement win votes for him or will its publication - a few days before polling day and at public expense - anger Warsaw citizens?
The bitterness of the PiS vs PO Presidential campaign is hindering attempts to form a PiS / PO Parliamentary ruling coalition. In turn the bickering over forming a Parliamentary coalition is hurting both Presidential candidates. Third place right wing populist Lepper and fourth place splinter leftist Borowski are too far behind to really benefit.
So expect a very bad tempered eleven days, a low turn out, a potentially damaged incoming President and a very uneasy Parliamentary alliance. However, what will really matter to Poles is the outcome of the upcoming Poland vs. England football match!
To reduce confusion as to who is acting as security at future Labour Party Conferences the personnel are to be given a new uniform to distinguish them from delegates.
The move was prompted by an incident at this year's New Labour conference when an 82-year-old terrorist agitator tried to manhandle two fragile security guards out of the conference hall after they admonished him over his vicious verbal assault on shaken foreign secretary Jack Straw. In the violent confusion another delgate, unaware that the two security operatives were simply attempting to contain a potentially-dangerous undermining of democracy, weighed into the scuffle in support of the belligerent octogenarian.
The smart new look will consist of a brown shirt and tie and red arm band, designed for New Labour by top European image consultant Leni Riefenstahl. It caused a sensation earlier this year when Prince Harry modelled an early version at a friend's birthday party.
At the press conference called to show off the new apparel a cheerful Jack Straw waved at the rapturous audience as he proudly showed off the new design. He then spoke loudly for nine hours about the need for "respect" and his plans to guarantee Britain's security through an audacious combination of voluntary ID cards and military action abroad.
He denied, however, that old-style Labourites would at next year's party conference be obliged to wear red-star armbands to facilitate their detention and relocation to the "East" — thought to mean detention centres in East Anglia.
Chemo Chronicles 1
Spent a couple of hours at the Oncology Unit at the Priory Hospital in Birmingham today - blood tests and a few checks - before walking away with my chemotherapy pills. The Doctor and the Nurse were marvellous - cheerful, upbeat and incredibly helpful going to great lengths to explain everything.
Basically its a case of 8 cycles of 2 weeks on and 1 week off taking a total of 24 weeks. In each of the "on" weeks I have to take 7 pills in the morning (2 anti-sickness and 5 chemo) and a similar 7 at night. That means I go from my present 8 pills a day to 22 pills per day.
I also have my little card on the possible side effects - diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, stomatitis (mouth ulcers), hand-and-foot skin-reaction and fever or infection. They tell me that these generally come, if they come, after a few cycles so if I have them all in the morning I'm in real trouble :-)
I've just taken the first batch so here we go...
From The Rockall Times...
Blair: 'We won't cut and run'
PM vows to tough it out over insurgents
by College Green
Embattled leader Tony Blair has promised not to make any early exit from the morass that has marked his period in office, despite a veritable Screwfix catalogue of bad news and criticism of his dynamic leadership style.
At a ceremony to mark the fiftieth relaunch speech of his third term the prime minister declared: "When we made the decision to go in that decision was based on the long haul. To pull out now and to leave things to these people would be a betrayal of all we hold dear. This cannot and will not be allowed to happen."
The increasing success of the insurgents — or Brownites as they sometimes like to be described — in sowing generalised fear and terror has led some in the Labour Party to demand an immediate withdrawal from the Green Zone — or Downing Street as it is known colloquially — back to Barbados.
Ironic or what?
The front page of this week's Kidderminster Shuttle is headed "Theft means baby can't visit his dad in prison"! I don't wish anyone any ill but isn't there just a little tinge of the ironic about this story?!
Finding "the hub"!
The Express & Star today helpfully announces the launching by the County Council of a new web site for the "Worcestershire Hub" where you can find out all about everything to do with Council services.
Alas they direct their readers to www.worcestershire.whub.org.uk which won't get you anywhere. Our tip is simple - try www.whub.org.uk instead!
You'd think that the first perquisite for an information service would be to advertise its address correctly but this is the County Council we are talking about here!
UPDATE & CORRECTION
(7th October)
The guys from the Couty Council Press Office tell me that their Press Release had it right. It was some Sub-Editor on the Express & Star what been and got it wrong! So...
Polish Presidential Election...
Latest Opinion Poll shows Tusk – 43%, Kaczyński – 32%, Lepper - 13%, Borowski - 7%, Kalinowski - 2%, Ilasz - 1%, Korwin-Mikke - 1%, Giertych - 1%, Bochniarz - 0%.
This is the first time I ever recall a Candidate in any election being shown as being on "0%". I assume she's actually showing on less than 0.5% - down on the 0.6% shown in the previous poll (see below) and the numbers have been rounded off.
