Almost everyone loves going to the movies... escape reality watching a good action movie as if you were the hero/spy, laugh so hard at a comedy that your sides hurt, watch a children's movie and remember how simple life was when you were so much younger.
Most of the time the movie titles in the US make a lot of sense to Americans, but these titles do not always translate well into other languages. Often the movie title only makes sense in the context of the movie, often a short and catchy phrase.
Earlier this year I had a discussion with my team about a few of the more interesting translations of American movies titles. Review the following movie titles from their Polish translated names and see if you can figure out the movie or TV show:
Twirling Sex ("Wirujący Seks")
Glass Trap ("Szklana Pułapka")
Involuntary Fiance ("Narzeczony Mimo Woli")
Absolute Memory ("Pamięć Absolutna")
Underground Circle ("Podziemny Krąg")
Electronic Murderer ("Elektroniczny Morderca")
Western Sultans ("Sułtani Westernu")
Steal the Moon ("Jak Ukraść Księżyc")
Fashion On Success ("Moda na Sukces")
Dear Troubles ("Kochane Kłopoty")
The World According to Bundy ("Świat według Bundych")
Reality Without Sugar ("Orbitowanie bez Cukru")
Prisoner Hate ("Więzień nienawiści")
Won Dreams ("Wygrane marzenia")
Ready for All ("Gotowe na wszystko")
Most of these titles can make sense in some way if you know the show, but language translations are not always straight forward. I have heard many translators say something 2-3 times longer than the original words spoken in English... and a few times the same thing the other way around. What may be captured in a small word or phrase may require an entire sentence or two if you want to convey the same thought in another language.
How did you do above?
Twirling Sex ==> Dirty Dancing
Glass Trap ==> Die Hard
Involuntary Fiance ==> The Proposal
Absolute Memory ==> Total Recall
Underground Circle ==> Fight Club
Electronic Murderer ==> Terminator
Western Sultans ==> City Slickers
Steal the Moon ==> Despicable Me
Fashion On Success ==> Bold and Beautiful
Dear Troubles == > Gilmore Girls
The World According to Bundy ==> Married... with Children
Reality Without Sugar ==> Reality Bites
Prisoner Hate ==> American History X
Won Dreams ==> Coyote Ugly
Ready for All ==> Desperate Housewives
Since we would not like titles to movies that require a sentence, those creating titles in other languages need to be "creative". What becomes even more challenging is when a sequel arrives that has no association to the original title's translation:
Die Hard 1 ==> Glass Trap 1 ... the big building with a lot of glass windows trapping everyone.
Die Hard 2 ==> Glass Trap 2 ... ??? no big glass building, but Dulles airport, not really trapped.
Die Hard 3 ==> Glass Trap 3 ... ??? now in NY financial district, in a dam tunnel... but not really trapped
(Really "Die Hard with a Vengeance", but "Vengeful Glass Trap" does not make sense either).
You get the idea. Titles are not easy to create.
I wonder what non-English titles have done this the other way around.
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Color in a very gray world
I had a fascinating conversation with a few people at work the other day about a bright light in a gray world: Pewex!
It first came up while I was talking to Kasia and the topic somehow shifted to old days during communism. She suddenly remembered Pewex and lit up as extremely fond memories came to the front of her mind. The store near her home was pink and she remembered getting Barbie dolls and other wonderful things a young girl would love to have, and she also remembered Coca-cola as introduced into Poland through Pewex.
Magda also lit up and recalls a jeans jacket she got from Pewex with very special fondness. Nothing like this was available in communist Poland elsewhere; these were valued possessions cared for with great personal pride and joy.
Kuba's first comment when I asked about this brand was "lots of color in a very gray world". Both Kuba and Kacper quickly thought about Lego. A small box of Lego blocks (80 pieces?) was a treasured toy for a young boy... colorful building blocks and an infinite imagination provides many hours of entertainment. Kacper received a Lego Fire Station set after eye surgery, as promised by Mom and Dad, because he was such a good boy... a great prize and another fond memory.
During the 80s, communist economic policy was having problems. Money was tight. Inflation was high. Some had more ability to purchase these goods than others. Parents could provide a great joy to their children with a small purchase; children would save to buy their own prize.
Pewex was a view into a different world. Literally a lot of color in a place that saw little, but also a hope for a brighter future like Dorothy landing in Oz... so many colors it is hard to believe.
There is definitely a generation born in the late 70s to mid 80s that remembers Pewex in the same way as I remembered Toys-R-Us and several other stores... a place of pure children joy, where wonderful things happened (at least they were possible, if you could save the money). As communism fell in 1989 and imports increased, shopping malls began to open providing so much more access to these items, Pewex because less THE store and eventually the brand faded away.
Pewex was a store brand in Poland during the 80s that brought western world products to Poland and all sales were completed in US Dollars, Deutschmark, and a few other foreign hard currencies, USD was the most common everyone remembers. Owning foreign currency was illegal (I believe), but many people had it (often sent by family living in the US, generally Chicago) or bought on a black market of currency. Did I mention these stores were run by the bank, which was run by the government? The government wanted to get this foreign currency off the street and into their hands to help support the Poland economy.
Growing up, there were so many things that I wanted, yet I had so much (in the discussion, I reflected on the few huge Lego sets I had growing up)... Learning what real life was like in Poland (not information written into history books) can be so humbling.
It first came up while I was talking to Kasia and the topic somehow shifted to old days during communism. She suddenly remembered Pewex and lit up as extremely fond memories came to the front of her mind. The store near her home was pink and she remembered getting Barbie dolls and other wonderful things a young girl would love to have, and she also remembered Coca-cola as introduced into Poland through Pewex.
Magda also lit up and recalls a jeans jacket she got from Pewex with very special fondness. Nothing like this was available in communist Poland elsewhere; these were valued possessions cared for with great personal pride and joy.
Kuba's first comment when I asked about this brand was "lots of color in a very gray world". Both Kuba and Kacper quickly thought about Lego. A small box of Lego blocks (80 pieces?) was a treasured toy for a young boy... colorful building blocks and an infinite imagination provides many hours of entertainment. Kacper received a Lego Fire Station set after eye surgery, as promised by Mom and Dad, because he was such a good boy... a great prize and another fond memory.
During the 80s, communist economic policy was having problems. Money was tight. Inflation was high. Some had more ability to purchase these goods than others. Parents could provide a great joy to their children with a small purchase; children would save to buy their own prize.
Pewex was a view into a different world. Literally a lot of color in a place that saw little, but also a hope for a brighter future like Dorothy landing in Oz... so many colors it is hard to believe.
There is definitely a generation born in the late 70s to mid 80s that remembers Pewex in the same way as I remembered Toys-R-Us and several other stores... a place of pure children joy, where wonderful things happened (at least they were possible, if you could save the money). As communism fell in 1989 and imports increased, shopping malls began to open providing so much more access to these items, Pewex because less THE store and eventually the brand faded away.
Pewex was a store brand in Poland during the 80s that brought western world products to Poland and all sales were completed in US Dollars, Deutschmark, and a few other foreign hard currencies, USD was the most common everyone remembers. Owning foreign currency was illegal (I believe), but many people had it (often sent by family living in the US, generally Chicago) or bought on a black market of currency. Did I mention these stores were run by the bank, which was run by the government? The government wanted to get this foreign currency off the street and into their hands to help support the Poland economy.
Growing up, there were so many things that I wanted, yet I had so much (in the discussion, I reflected on the few huge Lego sets I had growing up)... Learning what real life was like in Poland (not information written into history books) can be so humbling.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Stop off in Paris on the way to California
We lived in Poland for the last 7 1/2 months and we made our first home trip back to California, US, stopping in Paris on our way (need to see Paris if you get the chance, right?).
5 days in Paris and a whole lot of steps... we walked up (and down) Notre-Dame (422 steps each way), Eiffel Tower (668 steps each way), the Louve (who knows how many stairs, let alone walking all over), and the Champs Elysees (up and down the road several times). We also saw the Arc de Triomphe, the Hotel Invalides, and the Akamai Paris office. We used the bus and Metro to get around to different areas of Paris and enjoyed quite a few different restaurants/bakeries.
I think everyone had a pretty good time, when they felt well. Melanie, Robert, and I had problems... not sure if it was illness or food adjustments (too many different/rich foods our bodies were not used to), but it puts a downer on the trip.
The trip to California (via Frankfurt) was pretty good, though Patrick was not feeling we most of the way. Adjusting to the 9h time difference has been a challenge; I have been falling asleep at 8-9pm and waking up at 4-5 am... I am not an early-bird person.
Now we have a few weeks in the US and I will be working remotely half the time. By the end of this trip, I will have adjusted to the time difference and need to adjust back to CEST.
Coffee and Lingerie
Krakow is still learning to be a major coffee drinker market. There are a variety of coffee store brands in the mall and around the square (CoffeeHeaven, Tchibo, and Starbucks, along with a few others). There are a few boutique coffee shops around, as well, but there are no "coffee stands" that I have seen anywhere.
Krakow is well into women's sexuality expression through very short skirts, nearly transparent blouses, and a significant number of lingerie stores all over the place. (Yeah, I am old, but I am not complaining).
I was surprised to see a coffee store in the mall in Krakow that also SELLS lingerie/underwear.
Just another way to get all of your shopping done in one place, if you want coffee and underwear.
Monday, April 30, 2012
Lost in Translation
Living in a country where you do not speak the language is a challenge. Fortunately for us, enough people in Poland speak English; when English is not an option, using hand gestures to get the point across (pointing at something and indicating I want two of them) or writing numbers for the costs of a purchase works out well. I have even used my piddly little amount of German to communicate (yes, three years of high school German almost 25 years ago still sticks with me enough to communicate... and many people said it would not be useful since I was living in California).
Where the lack of language becomes an issue is when you are outside of the major city areas. We found some difficulty when we were visiting Szczawnica, but we managed to make everything work out okay.
A more significant issue is when you are riding the bus into town and it stops. Why? What's happening?
This has happened to me twice so far.
- Once, the bus was in an accident (a car tried to pass the bus and had to hit the bus to avoid a head on collision). Many stayed on for a while, then some started to leave. I did not understand what the driver was saying, but I figured everyone was leaving because they knew it would be a while to continue it's route... so I left the bus and walked much of the way home from there.
- The second time was a week ago. We were taking the bus to Church and it stopped... everyone left the bus after the driver's announcement. We did not understand; however, we fortunately overhear someone say in English "the road is closed ahead". Time to walk to the next major stop with a tram that will take us to further along. After we go to the tram stop and waited a little while, Melanie noticed a sign that we could not read, but enough information told us the Krakow Marathon was interrupting this tram, also.
Getting lost when you speak the language is not too bad... getting lost when you cannot expect to communicate with everyone is really a drag.
Where the lack of language becomes an issue is when you are outside of the major city areas. We found some difficulty when we were visiting Szczawnica, but we managed to make everything work out okay.
A more significant issue is when you are riding the bus into town and it stops. Why? What's happening?
This has happened to me twice so far.
- Once, the bus was in an accident (a car tried to pass the bus and had to hit the bus to avoid a head on collision). Many stayed on for a while, then some started to leave. I did not understand what the driver was saying, but I figured everyone was leaving because they knew it would be a while to continue it's route... so I left the bus and walked much of the way home from there.
- The second time was a week ago. We were taking the bus to Church and it stopped... everyone left the bus after the driver's announcement. We did not understand; however, we fortunately overhear someone say in English "the road is closed ahead". Time to walk to the next major stop with a tram that will take us to further along. After we go to the tram stop and waited a little while, Melanie noticed a sign that we could not read, but enough information told us the Krakow Marathon was interrupting this tram, also.
Getting lost when you speak the language is not too bad... getting lost when you cannot expect to communicate with everyone is really a drag.
Friday, April 20, 2012
The Shopping Fitness Program
In the older days of Poland, there were many small shops spread all over town that sold a very specific set of items.
In our neighborhood, we have a couple of small "skleps" that have general groceries that are good for small shopping trips (think of a small house whose front rooms make up a the store). We also have a bigger store (Jubilat) that has more variety and quantity, but this store goes back to the old Soviet era and does not focus much on a good "customer experience".
If you want meat, you can find some in the local stores, but separate meat shops are the place to go for variety and quantity.
We also find cloth shops that do not sell buttons, zippers, thread, or needles... the good news is that there is another shop for those!
If you want to buy a variety of types of items, you are likely to begin walking and stop at many shops (not necessarily close to each other). It can be good exercise, but you have to be careful when you buy goods that need to be refrigerated.
In the last 5-10 years, shopping malls have arisen (Galeria Krakowska and Galeria Kazimierz) which are very similar to US malls, but there are many stores that are very similar to every other store (okay, much like the US :)). Some of these do have grocery stores so you can buy a variety of goods in one big place.
In the mall grocery stores when we first arrived, the shelves looked quite full and appeared to have a large variety. At closer look, I noticed that everything was the same product/brand/size from floor to ceiling several items wide. Broad choice was an illusion. Even over the last 5 months since we have lived here I have noticed the variety to increase and the different shelves now have different product.
Poland has been changing very quickly, but I still get quite a bit of exercise walking to the bus, store, etc... Exercise is good.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Long Term Residence REQUIRED
I have moved a few times in the last 15 years... from College at UC Davis (California) to San Jose (California), to Colorado Springs (Colorado), to San Ramon (California), to Kenmore (Washington), and now to Krakow (Poland)... but I had not run into a situation where I needed to be there for a long time before I could sign-up for a service or show a contract to be there for the long term. Everywhere else was in the USA and I was a US citizen, which made it easier to move there; it feels like they do not want me here.
The first situation was to get a personal cell phone. My 2 year assignment began in October and we did not arrive until mid-November because of visa issues. We went to T-Mobile to ask about plans and they would not even talk to us because we did not have a full 24 months left on our assignment (what? I can pay, even an extra month when I no longer reside here, if necessary). We talked to PLUS and signed up for our plans; at least they were willing to accept my money.
Next, several of the house services (water, gas, rubbish (trash for us Americans)) are in the name of my landlord and he is paying these bills because I would not be able to take them in my name as a non-Polish citizen or owner of the house (I suppose they would allow me to pay directly if I "owned" the property).
The one that got me the most was trying to sign up for a satellite TV service provider this weekend. After talking with the lady at the mall about the service plan and receiver, she needed to know if I had a long term residency (2 years minimum) to establish the service. I guess I will have to get my landlord to start this service for us and we pay him back, too...
We have a dish on the house and a receiver that picks up free channels broadcast through the skies, but there are limited English channels, especially anything that is not news (BBC and France24 in English). You have to pay for entertainment, don't think that the free content on TV or the internet is really free... there are ads, subscription fees, etc.
Another issue that recently arose is with the Indian consulate in Warsaw. To apply for a business visa to India from Poland, I must reside here for 2 years. I can apply for a tourist visa or any other type of visa, but not a business visa... to India. I manage a team split across Krakow, Poland and Bangalore, India. I want to get out there and meet with my team, but I may have to do it as a tourist OR I will have to come to the US to visit the India consulate in San Francisco (jurisdiction for my Washington state address) to apply for my visa (I was advised to not send my passport to a country I am not actually within).
If I extend my assignment with work to a 3rd year, I can apply for these things; however, I am unlikely to need them at that point... kind of like a loan these days:
Prove you don't need it and we can give it to you;
however, if you actually need it, you cannot qualify.
The first situation was to get a personal cell phone. My 2 year assignment began in October and we did not arrive until mid-November because of visa issues. We went to T-Mobile to ask about plans and they would not even talk to us because we did not have a full 24 months left on our assignment (what? I can pay, even an extra month when I no longer reside here, if necessary). We talked to PLUS and signed up for our plans; at least they were willing to accept my money.
Next, several of the house services (water, gas, rubbish (trash for us Americans)) are in the name of my landlord and he is paying these bills because I would not be able to take them in my name as a non-Polish citizen or owner of the house (I suppose they would allow me to pay directly if I "owned" the property).
The one that got me the most was trying to sign up for a satellite TV service provider this weekend. After talking with the lady at the mall about the service plan and receiver, she needed to know if I had a long term residency (2 years minimum) to establish the service. I guess I will have to get my landlord to start this service for us and we pay him back, too...
We have a dish on the house and a receiver that picks up free channels broadcast through the skies, but there are limited English channels, especially anything that is not news (BBC and France24 in English). You have to pay for entertainment, don't think that the free content on TV or the internet is really free... there are ads, subscription fees, etc.
Another issue that recently arose is with the Indian consulate in Warsaw. To apply for a business visa to India from Poland, I must reside here for 2 years. I can apply for a tourist visa or any other type of visa, but not a business visa... to India. I manage a team split across Krakow, Poland and Bangalore, India. I want to get out there and meet with my team, but I may have to do it as a tourist OR I will have to come to the US to visit the India consulate in San Francisco (jurisdiction for my Washington state address) to apply for my visa (I was advised to not send my passport to a country I am not actually within).
If I extend my assignment with work to a 3rd year, I can apply for these things; however, I am unlikely to need them at that point... kind of like a loan these days:
Prove you don't need it and we can give it to you;
however, if you actually need it, you cannot qualify.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Don't Drink the Water
Water is supposed to be good for you. Drinking plenty of water is supposed to prevent kidney stones.
In Poland, we are told to avoid drinking the tap water... it can actually cause kidney stones it is so hard.
We have been buying 5-6 liter bottles of water for drinking at home. Water in restaurants is not common; when you ask for water, you are buying bottles of water (200 or 300 ml usually, but you can sometimes buy a large bottle for the table)... so different than in the US where, many times, water is simply brought to the table whether you will drink it or not.
Patrick has been working out at home and drinking a lot more water (preparing for "parkour"), so we have been going through the bottles pretty quickly.
At work, we are preparing to move to a new building a few kilometers away and I asked about plumbed water to the coffee maker, but I was told that we do not want to drink the water (oh, yeah, I forgot).
I have lived in places with "hard" water, but never where we were advised to not drink the tap water because it can cause kidney stones... maybe the US water works has better requirements and technology so that we can drink the water feeding into our houses.
For now, I find I am not drinking as much water as I should. Which is worse...
kidney stones from not drinking water or from drinking the tap water?
In Poland, we are told to avoid drinking the tap water... it can actually cause kidney stones it is so hard.
We have been buying 5-6 liter bottles of water for drinking at home. Water in restaurants is not common; when you ask for water, you are buying bottles of water (200 or 300 ml usually, but you can sometimes buy a large bottle for the table)... so different than in the US where, many times, water is simply brought to the table whether you will drink it or not.
Patrick has been working out at home and drinking a lot more water (preparing for "parkour"), so we have been going through the bottles pretty quickly.
At work, we are preparing to move to a new building a few kilometers away and I asked about plumbed water to the coffee maker, but I was told that we do not want to drink the water (oh, yeah, I forgot).
I have lived in places with "hard" water, but never where we were advised to not drink the tap water because it can cause kidney stones... maybe the US water works has better requirements and technology so that we can drink the water feeding into our houses.
For now, I find I am not drinking as much water as I should. Which is worse...
kidney stones from not drinking water or from drinking the tap water?
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Mistrust and Suspicion, the result of freedom lost
Living in the US, we expect a level of privacy, freedom, and security. We fight for INDEPENDENCE... personal, family, city, state, and country at different levels for everyone. We even have a document created nearly 250 years ago stating our cause around this idea. We don't always remember how truly precious are this independence and freedom.
In Poland, a country that has existed as a recognized nation for the greater part of 1000 years (yes, it was founded as a country in the mid-to-late 900s), there is a lot of pride in the heritage and recent fights for freedoms the US has taken for granted.
Poland was the starting point for World Wars I and II, was ruled by the Soviets and Nazi governments during World War II at different times (Germany and Russia were allies before Hitler turned on Stalin, causing Russia to join the Allied country), then ruled in Communism by the Soviet party for 45 years. The people learned that freedom is something you have to fight for and can never take for granted.
As in all situations, the recent history becomes distant. Distant history seems less relevant. Irrelevant history becomes legend. Legendary history becomes forgotten.
The Poles who lived through the terrors of WWII and suffered through the Communist party's control know this as recent history. The younger generation who grew up in Communism still understand how much worse was life during Communism, but they only experienced the horrors of WWII through the memories of family, so they are moving from recent to distant history... it will be years before WWII becomes legend and forgotten (as with the September 11th attack on the US, may this never be forgotten).
The people are justified maintaining mistrust and suspicion of everyone around them... neighbors, police, government, politicians (okay, maybe this is universal), and foreigners. During WWII, all of these groups betrayed the people of Poland... even neighbors turned in friends out of fear for their own lives and the lives of their family.
Coworkers visiting Poland have commented on the stern, unhappy, and untrusting look of many people they see. I was told that once game shows came to Poland, the contestants had to be trained to look happy that they were winning prizes and money... we see the people jumping and hollering on US game shows and think they must be a little crazy, but they are winning money and excited... the Poles were still suspicious.
I was also told that once the barriers are broken and friendship begins, the people are very warm, supportive, and engaging, but you would not know that by the general outward appearance of the people you pass on the street.
Decades of experiences and freedom lost lead to this cultural shift.
The US can learn from Polish history since US freedom has been mostly challenged from within. When freedom is challenged, we debate, argue, legislate, but rarely truly have to FIGHT. Poland lost independence during WWII and lost freedom to Communism, but they fought when standing up for freedom could mean death, they fought at the "round table" to gain an honest election to determine the future of their country, and they stood and were counted when the Solidarity party gained controlling positions within the government.
Everyone should keep a little mistrust and suspicion and remember to fight for freedom because it is not FREE, but do not let this keep you from enjoying the fruits of those freedoms otherwise it is in vain.
In Poland, a country that has existed as a recognized nation for the greater part of 1000 years (yes, it was founded as a country in the mid-to-late 900s), there is a lot of pride in the heritage and recent fights for freedoms the US has taken for granted.
Poland was the starting point for World Wars I and II, was ruled by the Soviets and Nazi governments during World War II at different times (Germany and Russia were allies before Hitler turned on Stalin, causing Russia to join the Allied country), then ruled in Communism by the Soviet party for 45 years. The people learned that freedom is something you have to fight for and can never take for granted.
As in all situations, the recent history becomes distant. Distant history seems less relevant. Irrelevant history becomes legend. Legendary history becomes forgotten.
The Poles who lived through the terrors of WWII and suffered through the Communist party's control know this as recent history. The younger generation who grew up in Communism still understand how much worse was life during Communism, but they only experienced the horrors of WWII through the memories of family, so they are moving from recent to distant history... it will be years before WWII becomes legend and forgotten (as with the September 11th attack on the US, may this never be forgotten).
The people are justified maintaining mistrust and suspicion of everyone around them... neighbors, police, government, politicians (okay, maybe this is universal), and foreigners. During WWII, all of these groups betrayed the people of Poland... even neighbors turned in friends out of fear for their own lives and the lives of their family.
Coworkers visiting Poland have commented on the stern, unhappy, and untrusting look of many people they see. I was told that once game shows came to Poland, the contestants had to be trained to look happy that they were winning prizes and money... we see the people jumping and hollering on US game shows and think they must be a little crazy, but they are winning money and excited... the Poles were still suspicious.
I was also told that once the barriers are broken and friendship begins, the people are very warm, supportive, and engaging, but you would not know that by the general outward appearance of the people you pass on the street.
Decades of experiences and freedom lost lead to this cultural shift.
The US can learn from Polish history since US freedom has been mostly challenged from within. When freedom is challenged, we debate, argue, legislate, but rarely truly have to FIGHT. Poland lost independence during WWII and lost freedom to Communism, but they fought when standing up for freedom could mean death, they fought at the "round table" to gain an honest election to determine the future of their country, and they stood and were counted when the Solidarity party gained controlling positions within the government.
Everyone should keep a little mistrust and suspicion and remember to fight for freedom because it is not FREE, but do not let this keep you from enjoying the fruits of those freedoms otherwise it is in vain.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Internet Inequality
All things being equal, they aren't... where media rights and internet access are concerned.
Our expectations of the highly interconnected world with ubiquitous internet access providing higher speeds and bandwidth than ever before falls short when old media industries are afraid and controlling. I am all for businesses protecting their product and making money through ads, sales, and licensing agreements. That is the only way they can/will make new content we will enjoy.
Living in the US has many privileges and services that much of the rest of the world does not get to experience.
- I loved Netflix and playing content through my Roku device directly to my TV. It was a very convenient way to pick movies to watch any time, even movies I had sitting in the DVD player already. Other video services, like Hulu, Crackle, and Amazon video are also available to watch content on a whim.
- Online audio streaming services, like Pandora, let you create your own radio station to listen to and discover a wide range of music without owning it.
- Favorite shows could be watched on the network's web site or other video services, allowing you to catch up on episodes you missed or when you learn about a new show several episodes into the series/season.
Living in Poland has given me a greater appreciation for what I no longer have available to me.
... entertainment anytime, anyplace, and any type... "The Future is HERE!" (not!).
I access Pandora and get a message saying "We can only play content to users in the US". I now can watch Netflix tell me "Sorry, you are accessing from a country that we are not licensed to play". I try to watch CBS shows and they reject my loyalty.
I pay for Netflix. It's not like I am trying to access a service with ads supporting it that cannot have meaning to me (which is the case for Pandora). I tried Amazon's video service, ready to rent or buy episodes and movies... to pay USD on a US bank card, but it needs to be delivered to an IP address in Poland.
Steve Jobs and Apple Computer changed the music industry with iTunes music store and $0.99 individual songs because the rationalization that people were stealing the music by ripping it to MP3 audio files and the music industry got nothing, so they might as well sell the music on iTunes and get something.
The world's internet has created many alternate solutions to get this content, sometimes not legally. Just like ripped CDs years ago leading to MP3 players holding 1000s of songs... people will find ways to enjoy their entertainment in ways they want to consume across devices regardless of the industry restrictions.
Region encoding has been introduced on disk media to prevent people from watching a movie (on disk) in a country it was not sold... really? I can buy a disk in Europe and not watch it in the US?
Fortunately, my team in Poland is a group of bright and resourceful techno-geeks and know how to make the internet work for them in Poland.
For streaming music, I now use Grooveshark.com... even better than Pandora in that I can create my own play lists along with random songs. I have not found a Netflix replacement yet (at least not one that appears legal), but I am sure something exists.
Ironically, Grooveshark is not available in Germany because of licensing restrictions... so it is not perfect, but it works for me.
I can rip movies and music from the media I own (not always legally, thanks to the US Government's restrictive laws) to play on different devices. I can use VPN and proxy systems to bypass these restrictions. I know how these restrictions work and how to circumvent them, but I should not need to do this, nor should others who are not as technically trained.
Give me Internet Equality. Or give me services I pay to use. It's a simple request, I think.
Our expectations of the highly interconnected world with ubiquitous internet access providing higher speeds and bandwidth than ever before falls short when old media industries are afraid and controlling. I am all for businesses protecting their product and making money through ads, sales, and licensing agreements. That is the only way they can/will make new content we will enjoy.
Living in the US has many privileges and services that much of the rest of the world does not get to experience.
- I loved Netflix and playing content through my Roku device directly to my TV. It was a very convenient way to pick movies to watch any time, even movies I had sitting in the DVD player already. Other video services, like Hulu, Crackle, and Amazon video are also available to watch content on a whim.
- Online audio streaming services, like Pandora, let you create your own radio station to listen to and discover a wide range of music without owning it.
- Favorite shows could be watched on the network's web site or other video services, allowing you to catch up on episodes you missed or when you learn about a new show several episodes into the series/season.
Living in Poland has given me a greater appreciation for what I no longer have available to me.
- I used to listen to Pandora at work, at home, on my phone anywhere.
- I watched Netflix on my computer, on my phone, and on my TV.
- I watched "Big Bang Theory" on CBS's website.
... entertainment anytime, anyplace, and any type... "The Future is HERE!" (not!).
I access Pandora and get a message saying "We can only play content to users in the US". I now can watch Netflix tell me "Sorry, you are accessing from a country that we are not licensed to play". I try to watch CBS shows and they reject my loyalty.
I pay for Netflix. It's not like I am trying to access a service with ads supporting it that cannot have meaning to me (which is the case for Pandora). I tried Amazon's video service, ready to rent or buy episodes and movies... to pay USD on a US bank card, but it needs to be delivered to an IP address in Poland.
Steve Jobs and Apple Computer changed the music industry with iTunes music store and $0.99 individual songs because the rationalization that people were stealing the music by ripping it to MP3 audio files and the music industry got nothing, so they might as well sell the music on iTunes and get something.
The world's internet has created many alternate solutions to get this content, sometimes not legally. Just like ripped CDs years ago leading to MP3 players holding 1000s of songs... people will find ways to enjoy their entertainment in ways they want to consume across devices regardless of the industry restrictions.
Region encoding has been introduced on disk media to prevent people from watching a movie (on disk) in a country it was not sold... really? I can buy a disk in Europe and not watch it in the US?
Fortunately, my team in Poland is a group of bright and resourceful techno-geeks and know how to make the internet work for them in Poland.
For streaming music, I now use Grooveshark.com... even better than Pandora in that I can create my own play lists along with random songs. I have not found a Netflix replacement yet (at least not one that appears legal), but I am sure something exists.
Ironically, Grooveshark is not available in Germany because of licensing restrictions... so it is not perfect, but it works for me.
I can rip movies and music from the media I own (not always legally, thanks to the US Government's restrictive laws) to play on different devices. I can use VPN and proxy systems to bypass these restrictions. I know how these restrictions work and how to circumvent them, but I should not need to do this, nor should others who are not as technically trained.
Give me Internet Equality. Or give me services I pay to use. It's a simple request, I think.
Friday, February 17, 2012
From Cold to Snow, which is better
We have broken out of the extreme colds with lows of -25C / -13F and highs hovering around -17C/0F. We now see the temperature running around -1C / 30 F and we are getting SNOW... about 5-7 inches (13-18 cm) on Wednesday and another 2+ inches (5 cm) today.
Because of these temperatures, the snow is quite wet... and there is wind.
In the extreme cold, noses and cheeks really felt the frost set in. With the wet snow and wind, I feel the elements pelting me in the face as I walk around.
During the extreme cold, the ground was still covered with the snow/ice from a month before and it was packed pretty solid, but at least nothing new covered the walkways that were already clear. Walking to the bus Thursday morning left me trudging through snow that was almost calf deep. Thanks to Patrick (and a nudge from a txt'ing father) for shoveling a pathway from the house to the front gate so that I could walk up to the house without carrying a pile of snow with me.
I am not sure which I prefer from the extreme cold or the falling snow... but it is definitely better being indoors with a cup of something hot to drink.
Because of these temperatures, the snow is quite wet... and there is wind.
In the extreme cold, noses and cheeks really felt the frost set in. With the wet snow and wind, I feel the elements pelting me in the face as I walk around.
During the extreme cold, the ground was still covered with the snow/ice from a month before and it was packed pretty solid, but at least nothing new covered the walkways that were already clear. Walking to the bus Thursday morning left me trudging through snow that was almost calf deep. Thanks to Patrick (and a nudge from a txt'ing father) for shoveling a pathway from the house to the front gate so that I could walk up to the house without carrying a pile of snow with me.
I am not sure which I prefer from the extreme cold or the falling snow... but it is definitely better being indoors with a cup of something hot to drink.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
This is Siberia Cold
I finally have real internet connectivity at home after 2 1/2 months in Poland. We had been using a 3G cellular modem that usually dropped to EDGE speeds (or no connectivity).
My home is only serviced for wired internet connectivity by TP (basically "Telecommunication Polska"), which goes back to the Communist days and still thinks like a monopoly: You want it our way and with our timing!
I had intended to contract with TP for a pretty good speed package (including TV service and VOIP), but they determined I lived too far from the junction box to get the speed I wanted, so they cancelled my contract... without telling me... with a lot of delay getting information to me... not even telling me why until my landlord called them. Frustrating.
Needless to say, I was fed up with TP and sought other options: Radio. We had a radio provider come out and confirm service levels and create a custom offer for symmetric bandwidth (same speed up and down). The custom offer for 6M/6M was 4x the cost as their 6M/1M plan... I opted for the 6/1 unless I truly find I need the higher upload speeds.
Yesterday, the provider come to my house to setup the radio antenna and route wiring to my wifi access point... we now have real internet access at home.
During the installation, we were at one of our coldest DAYs in years (not overnight low): -18 C or 0 F. It has been this cold for about 6-10 days... and colder days coming.
The guy installing the antenna... standing on the top of the house for a good 30-45 minutes... told me "This is Siberia Cold".
I had pity for him, but I wanted my internet setup and did not want to wait another 2+ weeks before it warms up significantly.
It is February and I leave for Boston in 2 days, where I will be going to warm up... WARM-UP in BOSTON in FEBRUARY!!!! Something is wrong with that, unless you come from "Siberia Cold".
My home is only serviced for wired internet connectivity by TP (basically "Telecommunication Polska"), which goes back to the Communist days and still thinks like a monopoly: You want it our way and with our timing!
I had intended to contract with TP for a pretty good speed package (including TV service and VOIP), but they determined I lived too far from the junction box to get the speed I wanted, so they cancelled my contract... without telling me... with a lot of delay getting information to me... not even telling me why until my landlord called them. Frustrating.
Needless to say, I was fed up with TP and sought other options: Radio. We had a radio provider come out and confirm service levels and create a custom offer for symmetric bandwidth (same speed up and down). The custom offer for 6M/6M was 4x the cost as their 6M/1M plan... I opted for the 6/1 unless I truly find I need the higher upload speeds.
Yesterday, the provider come to my house to setup the radio antenna and route wiring to my wifi access point... we now have real internet access at home.
During the installation, we were at one of our coldest DAYs in years (not overnight low): -18 C or 0 F. It has been this cold for about 6-10 days... and colder days coming.
The guy installing the antenna... standing on the top of the house for a good 30-45 minutes... told me "This is Siberia Cold".
I had pity for him, but I wanted my internet setup and did not want to wait another 2+ weeks before it warms up significantly.
It is February and I leave for Boston in 2 days, where I will be going to warm up... WARM-UP in BOSTON in FEBRUARY!!!! Something is wrong with that, unless you come from "Siberia Cold".
Monday, January 23, 2012
Bi-lingual church
Melanie and I attended Christ the King Church in Kraków in July when we visited for house hunting and we had a great experience. It was a bit different than we were used to, though we both have regularly attended various denominations in the past, tending towards a Baptist format for many years. We have been attending Chrystus Królem since we moved (even went to a game night the second day of living in Poland before we went to a second service).
One significant difference is the church services are in both English and Polish! Not an English service and a Polish service, but one service in both languages.
Be aware that Poland is a very Catholic country, even to the point of possibly being the highest percentage of active Catholics in Europe (or the world?). Finding a non-Catholic church can be a challenge, especially one that holds services in English (there are some English masses here, but relatively few).
The songs are sung in English OR Polish, and sometimes within the same song we sing different verses in either languages. Fortunately, the projected lyrics have both English and Polish on the wall so we can sing at any time. As with any time you go to a new church, there are songs we know and songs we do not know... when you do not know the song in English, it is difficult to follow in Polish (don't know the tune or Polish, hard to keep up). Sometimes I try to sing in Polish, but I find translating the words to be a challenge when I try to remember what sounds certain letters or combinations of letters are supposed to make (there are a lot of cz, rz, and sz letter combos in Polish words, but some are even more difficult to remember and not try to sound in English, such as "c" has a "ts" sound and "ci" is a hard "ch" sound).
The worship leaders sometimes speaks or prays in English and another person on the team translates into Polish... sometimes it is the other way around.
If you think your pastor's sermon's are long, think about it being said twice... in different languages. The pastor speaks in Polish and a translator repeats it in English; the pastor could preach in both languages, repeating himself every few sentences, but the translator helps save his voice. Because of this double length sermon, I am sure that he keeps the sermons shorter (even a short sermon can go a long time when it has to be repeated).
I am sure many of the customs and traditions at this church have been influenced by the history and culture (as is to be expected), but some also appear to be forced to express a separation from the Catholic dominance in Poland... to show a difference.
We have meet a broad variety of people from many countries at Church and we have many experiences that we will remember as part of this sojourn in Krakw, Poland. Here's to many more to come.
One significant difference is the church services are in both English and Polish! Not an English service and a Polish service, but one service in both languages.
Be aware that Poland is a very Catholic country, even to the point of possibly being the highest percentage of active Catholics in Europe (or the world?). Finding a non-Catholic church can be a challenge, especially one that holds services in English (there are some English masses here, but relatively few).
The songs are sung in English OR Polish, and sometimes within the same song we sing different verses in either languages. Fortunately, the projected lyrics have both English and Polish on the wall so we can sing at any time. As with any time you go to a new church, there are songs we know and songs we do not know... when you do not know the song in English, it is difficult to follow in Polish (don't know the tune or Polish, hard to keep up). Sometimes I try to sing in Polish, but I find translating the words to be a challenge when I try to remember what sounds certain letters or combinations of letters are supposed to make (there are a lot of cz, rz, and sz letter combos in Polish words, but some are even more difficult to remember and not try to sound in English, such as "c" has a "ts" sound and "ci" is a hard "ch" sound).
The worship leaders sometimes speaks or prays in English and another person on the team translates into Polish... sometimes it is the other way around.
If you think your pastor's sermon's are long, think about it being said twice... in different languages. The pastor speaks in Polish and a translator repeats it in English; the pastor could preach in both languages, repeating himself every few sentences, but the translator helps save his voice. Because of this double length sermon, I am sure that he keeps the sermons shorter (even a short sermon can go a long time when it has to be repeated).
I am sure many of the customs and traditions at this church have been influenced by the history and culture (as is to be expected), but some also appear to be forced to express a separation from the Catholic dominance in Poland... to show a difference.
We have meet a broad variety of people from many countries at Church and we have many experiences that we will remember as part of this sojourn in Krakw, Poland. Here's to many more to come.
Saturday, January 21, 2012
Living in a metric world
One thing that has surprised me about living in Europe is the metric system. Yes, I knew metric was the norm and "500 meters down the road" is hard for me to relate to, but I did not think a dozen eggs would be affected. Eggs are sold in groups of 10. No "baker's dozen". You also find so much more in groups of 5 instead of 6. This is nice for a family of 5 as it divides perfectly (fewer leftovers or more than one child wanting the 1 remaining cookie, bread, etc.
We bought packages of 5 donuts at the store. Perfect count for us.
Today's dietary fun
Today we took a new bus route to take Kaitlyn to a classmates birthday party, then we went to the shopping centers near their house while the party went on. Going home, we stopped at Chimera resteraunt in Centrum for dinner. At the table we had rabbit, venison, duck, and beef. No, there are no vegetarians in our family, though Robert is the closest (protecting the animals, except pig because bacon and pork knuckle is just too good).
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Kickin' it in Kraków
Moved with the family to Poland in November for a 2 year work assignment. I thought a blog would be a good way to document what happens as we go. But we need a little catch up now that I have started this thing.
2012 November 15 - After 4 days of packers and loading the house (and a weekend in their, too), we stayed at a hotel near the SeaTac Airport and had dinner at the Rain Forrest Cafe.
2012 November 16 - Arrived at the airport midday to get on our flight... lots of luggage because we can take 2 pieces per person and we will not receive any of our household shipments for a month or two. Nice flight since we were in Lufthansa business class (the kids really enjoyed it, though they should have slept more).
2012 November 17 - Landed in Frankfurt this morning and we had a 7 hour layover... business class lounge is very nice :). Landed in Kraków in the evening and our taxi driver, Grzegorz, was waiting for us. We loaded up the taxi-van with people and luggage, then drove the few miles to our house (not too far from airport). The kids explored the house and began feeling at home. We had temporary furniture so the house would be usable: beds, dressers, night stands, couch/chairs, coffee table, TV, dining table and chairs, and kitchen equipment.
Thus began our life in Kraków.
The following week, the kids started school at International School of Krakow (ISK). They have met many new friends, but as an international school, the class sizes are pretty small (10-15 students).
Our air shipment of our household goods arrived a few days before Christmas, which included mostly clothes and kitchen equipment.
Robert celebrated his birthday in Kraków. We had his favorite dinner, Melanie's Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese (with a Polish twist because we had a hard time finding the cheeses we normally use).
We had our first Christmas and New Years in Kraków, though many people asked if we were heading back to the States for Christmas (we just got here, no reason to endure that much air time yet).
We bought an artificial tree and some lights and decorations (our Christmas Tree skirt made by my mother was also in our air shipment, so it decorated the tree, too). We had some presents under the tree (the kids were able to buy presents for everyone else in the family at school, we brought some presents with us, and a few presents bought here. The boys got most of their Christmas and Birthday presents in an early gift they have been using for a few months).
Just before New Years, we went to Zakopane and took the train to the summit. Zakopane has been described as the Aspen of Poland (touristy, not the same expense of living, I presume). It was nice, but not too much snow. The view from the mountain was also nice.
New Years Eve was at home with the family, watching movies I had on a hard disk (been watching a lot of those movies). Then there were many houses with their own fireworks displays around the house, so we went on the balconies (in freezing temps) and watched them light up the sky. It went for about 20-30 minutes and in every direction.
School began after the holiday break (a week ago) and the boys (middle schoolers) are having their first exams this week.
We have found alma24.pl, which has online shopping and delivery, so we have avoided starving in Poland. We have a washing machine and a dryer (electric dryer's are not common in Poland). Food and clean clothers were Melanie's biggest concerns, so those are taken care of.
I have been buying monthly bus passes for everyone, so we have mobility around Kraków (without having to figure out how to pay for the per-trip bus passes). This was quite liberating because it was taxis for everything before we had the bus/tram lines figured out.
I am sure I could go on for much more, but this is my first post to a blog.
2012 November 15 - After 4 days of packers and loading the house (and a weekend in their, too), we stayed at a hotel near the SeaTac Airport and had dinner at the Rain Forrest Cafe.
2012 November 16 - Arrived at the airport midday to get on our flight... lots of luggage because we can take 2 pieces per person and we will not receive any of our household shipments for a month or two. Nice flight since we were in Lufthansa business class (the kids really enjoyed it, though they should have slept more).
2012 November 17 - Landed in Frankfurt this morning and we had a 7 hour layover... business class lounge is very nice :). Landed in Kraków in the evening and our taxi driver, Grzegorz, was waiting for us. We loaded up the taxi-van with people and luggage, then drove the few miles to our house (not too far from airport). The kids explored the house and began feeling at home. We had temporary furniture so the house would be usable: beds, dressers, night stands, couch/chairs, coffee table, TV, dining table and chairs, and kitchen equipment.
Thus began our life in Kraków.
The following week, the kids started school at International School of Krakow (ISK). They have met many new friends, but as an international school, the class sizes are pretty small (10-15 students).
Our air shipment of our household goods arrived a few days before Christmas, which included mostly clothes and kitchen equipment.
Robert celebrated his birthday in Kraków. We had his favorite dinner, Melanie's Gourmet Macaroni and Cheese (with a Polish twist because we had a hard time finding the cheeses we normally use).
We had our first Christmas and New Years in Kraków, though many people asked if we were heading back to the States for Christmas (we just got here, no reason to endure that much air time yet).
We bought an artificial tree and some lights and decorations (our Christmas Tree skirt made by my mother was also in our air shipment, so it decorated the tree, too). We had some presents under the tree (the kids were able to buy presents for everyone else in the family at school, we brought some presents with us, and a few presents bought here. The boys got most of their Christmas and Birthday presents in an early gift they have been using for a few months).
Just before New Years, we went to Zakopane and took the train to the summit. Zakopane has been described as the Aspen of Poland (touristy, not the same expense of living, I presume). It was nice, but not too much snow. The view from the mountain was also nice.
New Years Eve was at home with the family, watching movies I had on a hard disk (been watching a lot of those movies). Then there were many houses with their own fireworks displays around the house, so we went on the balconies (in freezing temps) and watched them light up the sky. It went for about 20-30 minutes and in every direction.
School began after the holiday break (a week ago) and the boys (middle schoolers) are having their first exams this week.
We have found alma24.pl, which has online shopping and delivery, so we have avoided starving in Poland. We have a washing machine and a dryer (electric dryer's are not common in Poland). Food and clean clothers were Melanie's biggest concerns, so those are taken care of.
I have been buying monthly bus passes for everyone, so we have mobility around Kraków (without having to figure out how to pay for the per-trip bus passes). This was quite liberating because it was taxis for everything before we had the bus/tram lines figured out.
I am sure I could go on for much more, but this is my first post to a blog.
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