Observations

Opublikował(a): Editor w dziale Observations dnia 12/02/09 | brak komentarzy

If you read nothing else this week, you should read Thomas Mikulski’s “In my View…” on page 4. Thomas gives us a succinct recap of the war in Afghanistan and a view of the current status and future prospects that I found immensely helpful in putting it all in perspective and helping me judge current developments. Sadly, it also reminds me of how we lost focus in Afghanistan when America invaded Iraq and our main efforts were diverted to that undertaking, leaving Afghanistan an unfinished task in danger of failure. I take heart from the cautionary last few paragraphs of Thomas’s column. It is important that we remain steadfast in our support of finishing the job properly, and we should heed the warning that weak support at home can undermine the chances of success.

Having recommended reading Mikulski this week, I don’t want anyone to miss the rest of the issue. I recently talked with a friend who is going to Poland soon, and Krakow will be one of her stops. An item on page 7 is timely titled “Why you should visit Krakow in winter time,” and it brought fond memories of my own visit to mind.

I was also reminded of my one trip to Paris when I saw the article on page 3 about the call to move the remains of Frederic Chopin to the Paris Pantheon, a burial place for French citizens of historical significance. As the item points out, the Paris Pantheon is currently the resting place of Polish – Born Nobel Prize Winner Marie Sklodowska – Curie, and it seems fitting that Chopin’s remains might be relocated there.

Don’t miss the coverage of the Kazimierz Olejarczyk 90th birthday celebration courtesy of Barbara J. Gronet on page 5. Thanks also to George Szelazek for the wonderful photographs. This is our cover story in honor of his many good works and his great value to Polonia.
I am very grateful to Kasia Ostrowski for her contribution on page 7 called “Children of Solidarity.” I don’t always have the time or the focus to personally thank our contributing authors, but they all make the Polish Weekly a more interesting, more valuable and diverse publication.

Finally, the Christmas season is upon us, and now is the time to think about supporting your newspaper with Christmas greetings. Please show your support and send your messages. Advertise your business or just say “Hi” to your friends but, in any event, enjoy the season!

Observations

Opublikował(a): Editor w dziale Observations dnia 11/04/09 | brak komentarzy
Observations
This week we have items reporting on discussions between U.S. Vice President John Biden and Polish President Lech Kaczynski during Biden’s visit to Poland (see pages 2 and 3). One significant topic was the change in plans on the missile defense system that has been so controversial. It seems as if the significance of the new arrangements is being downplayed for diplomatic reasons, but the importance of a U. S. presence in Poland remains, even if the missiles in question are different than those contemplated by the Bush administration. Biden’s remarks include a reference to the important impact of Poland’s membership in NATO and prospects for future partnership with the U.S. in international diplomacy.
The Polish relationship with Russia is emphasized in two particular items on page 3. First there is the ominous report of Russian military exercises simulating an attack on Poland. You could view this as a routine “readiness” or “training” exercise, or you can think of it as a threat to Polish security, but does, for example, the U. S. military have plans for the invasion of Canada in case relations deteriorate? I wonder, and if such a plan exists, I wouldn’t be too worried about it if I was Canadian, but as between Poland and Russia, it just isn’t the same thing. The other ominous item is the story on the promised increase of natural gas supplies from Russia to Poland. While at first this might seem like good news, it also underlines Poland’s unfortunate dependence on Russia for energy supplies. This is a type of dependence we in America are all too familiar with.
Congratulations to the Central citizen’s committee for another successful year of service to Polonia, and to the Pulaski award recipients for the good they have done for the Polish American community. See the coverage of the Committee’s annual awards banquet on page 7.
It seems almost as if most of the people I know are down with the flu or a cold, or some kind of mild ailment, and the flu has reached epidemic proportions in the Ukraine near the Polish border (page 3) including some 11 deaths from the outbreak. This is all the more reason to head the health advice in a couple of general interest items on page 5. One item covers preventive measures for children, while another discusses healthy habits for those of us who are more in our “prime.” I think I will try to follow the advice that says we will stay healthier if we get adequate rest, so I better wrap up this column and get ready to turn in!
This week we have items reporting on discussions between U.S. Vice President John Biden and Polish President Lech Kaczynski during Biden’s visit to Poland (see pages 2 and 3). One significant topic was the change in plans on the missile defense system that has been so controversial. It seems as if the significance of the new arrangements is being downplayed for diplomatic reasons, but the importance of a U. S. presence in Poland remains, even if the missiles in question are different than those contemplated by the Bush administration. Biden’s remarks include a reference to the important impact of Poland’s membership in NATO and prospects for future partnership with the U.S. in international diplomacy.
The Polish relationship with Russia is emphasized in two particular items on page 3. First there is the ominous report of Russian military exercises simulating an attack on Poland. You could view this as a routine “readiness” or “training” exercise, or you can think of it as a threat to Polish security, but does, for example, the U. S. military have plans for the invasion of Canada in case relations deteriorate? I wonder, and if such a plan exists, I wouldn’t be too worried about it if I was Canadian, but as between Poland and Russia, it just isn’t the same thing. The other ominous item is the story on the promised increase of natural gas supplies from Russia to Poland. While at first this might seem like good news, it also underlines Poland’s unfortunate dependence on Russia for energy supplies. This is a type of dependence we in America are all too familiar with.
Congratulations to the Central citizen’s committee for another successful year of service to Polonia, and to the Pulaski award recipients for the good they have done for the Polish American community. See the coverage of the Committee’s annual awards banquet on page 7.
It seems almost as if most of the people I know are down with the flu or a cold, or some kind of mild ailment, and the flu has reached epidemic proportions in the Ukraine near the Polish border (page 3) including some 11 deaths from the outbreak. This is all the more reason to head the health advice in a couple of general interest items on page 5. One item covers preventive measures for children, while another discusses healthy habits for those of us who are more in our “prime.” I think I will try to follow the advice that says we will stay healthier if we get adequate rest, so I better wrap up this column and get ready to turn in!

Observations

Opublikował(a): Editor w dziale Observations dnia 10/21/09 | brak komentarzy
Observations
The Holidays are approaching, and this week we have an item on the American Polish Assistance association (page 8) which is looking for help to fulfill its goals for Christmas deliveries to Poland. As the article notes, there is a substantial lead time to be considered when shipping donated items to Poland. Contact information is contained in the article, so if you want to help out, get in touch with Mike Ostrowski and the APAA, and don’t forget their gift shop for your Holiday shopping.
Instead of his usual provocative column, this issue we have not one, but two provocative interviews by Thomas Mikulski. On page 4-5 Thomas interviews former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski during his recent visit to Ann Arbor. On page 7, Mikulski interviews Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Alex Storozynski, who recently published his book, “The Peasant Prince – Thaddeus Kosciuszko and the Era of Revolution.”
The Kwasniewski interview makes for some thought provoking reading. I was struck by Kwasniewski’s comparison of the current situation in Afghanistan and Iraq to the Viet Nam war. Also, when questioned regarding the Obama administration’s change of plans for the controversial Missile defense system, Kwasniewski exhibited a very pragmatic approach. He notes that it remains to be seen what will develop from the Russian side, and he has his views of the prospects for developments in international politics. Mikulski’s interview was well designed to bring out some very interesting views, and I hope you will enjoy it.
The Storozynski interview was equally interesting for different reasons. I was pleased to note his remarks that it was time for Poles to tell their own stories and not leave the telling to others. Particularly, he mentioned that we need to produce our own films and art in addition to writing books and articles. Popular films are a media that we should put to a far greater use in order to educate mainstream society to the history and contributions of Poles and Polish Americans.

The Holidays are approaching, and this week we have an item on the American Polish Assistance Association (page 8 ) which is looking for help to fulfill its goals for Christmas deliveries to Poland. As the article notes, there is a substantial lead time to be considered when shipping donated items to Poland. Contact information is contained in the article, so if you want to help out, get in touch with Mike Ostrowski and the APAA, and don’t forget their gift shop for your Holiday shopping.

Instead of his usual provocative column, this issue we have not one, but two provocative interviews by Thomas Mikulski. On page 4-5 Thomas interviews former Polish President Aleksander Kwasniewski during his recent visit to Ann Arbor. On page 7, Mikulski interviews Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Alex Storozynski, who recently published his book, “The Peasant Prince – Thaddeus Kosciuszko and the Era of Revolution.”

The Kwasniewski interview makes for some thought provoking reading. I was struck by Kwasniewski’s comparison of the current situation in Afghanistan and Iraq to the Viet Nam war. Also, when questioned regarding the Obama administration’s change of plans for the controversial Missile defense system, Kwasniewski exhibited a very pragmatic approach. He notes that it remains to be seen what will develop from the Russian side, and he has his views of the prospects for developments in international politics. Mikulski’s interview was well designed to bring out some very interesting views, and I hope you will enjoy it.

The Storozynski interview was equally interesting for different reasons. I was pleased to note his remarks that it was time for Poles to tell their own stories and not leave the telling to others. Particularly, he mentioned that we need to produce our own films and art in addition to writing books and articles. Popular films are a media that we should put to a far greater use in order to educate mainstream society to the history and contributions of Poles and Polish Americans.

Observations

Opublikował(a): Editor w dziale Observations dnia 10/06/09 | brak komentarzy
Observations
On page 8 we have a letter to the Polish American Congress Federal Credit Union. Please note that this is published as a paid advertisement, and is not necessarily representative of any viewpoint or editorial policy of the Polish Weekly newspaper. It distresses me to see the controversy over management of a business that the letter represents, and all I can say is that I hope matters will be resolved properly.
Thomas Mikulski certainly has some interesting things to say and think about in his latest “In My View” column. This week he focuses on nothing less than the long range development of global politics as the rise of China continues in the face of the financial meltdown that has touched so much of the rest of the world community. Thomas uses the backdrop of international influence to demonstrate (rightfully so) the importance of educational reform in America. I couldn’t help but relate this to my own concerns about the decline of America’s manufacturing capacity as we continue to ship production of goods overseas or at least outside of our own borders. I constantly hear the discussions that America is changing from a manufacturing economy into a service and information economy. As we continue to do so, nothing could be more important, it seems, than maintaining pre-eminence in the field of education, but as Thomas points out, we are deteriorating woefully in terms of primary education. The economic crisis is far from the only one we face.
October is Polish Heritage month, and this week we have items on Marek Edelman (this page) and Colonel Matt Urban (page 7). Edelman passed away on October 2nd of this year. He was a hero to both Poles and Jews, being a leader and fighter in both the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising of 1943 and the Warsaw Uprising of 1944. Colonel Urban was a diligent and courageous soldier who may have received more medals than any other U. S. soldier, including seven purple hearts and the Medal of Honor. Please note that the Polish American Community in Michigan’s Thumb area is leading a letter writing and petition campaign to have the U. S. Post office issue a stamp in Colonel Urban’s honor. Contact information is given at the end of the article.

On page 8 we have a letter to the Polish American Congress Federal Credit Union. Please note that this is published as a paid advertisement, and is not necessarily representative of any viewpoint or editorial policy of the Polish Weekly newspaper. It distresses me to see the controversy over management of a business that the letter represents, and all I can say is that I hope matters will be resolved properly.

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Observations

Opublikował(a): Editor w dziale Observations dnia 09/22/09 | brak komentarzy

This week the big news is that the Polish Weekly has its own web site up and running. Visit www.polishweekly.com for the latest news and information. Currently much of the site is in Polish, but our English readers will hopefully find more to read as time goes on. The Polish Weekly will also be available for purchase online in a pdf format. Visit the site for details, and send us your suggestions and feedback on the usefulness of the site. Also send us suggestions for links to your organizations.

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Observations

Opublikował(a): Editor w dziale Observations dnia 09/10/09 | brak komentarzy

This week we give our condolences to contributing author Thomas Mikulski on the loss of his grandfather Stefan Terlecki – Semcowicz, who passed away on August 10, 2009. We are grateful that Thomas has shared with us a tribute to his grandfather in the form of a brief recounting of Stefan’s life and accomplishments (page 4). What strikes me is that Stefan’s story is a fine example of the kind of man who makes us all proud to be Polish Americans, and it contains elements that I am sure almost every one of us can relate to some close friend or relative or immediate family member we have known. Thank you, Thomas. Czytaj całość »

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