… for the failure to post any of the deluge of comments over the last few months. This was due to a combination of spam and technical incompetence: in blocking spam to one post I somehow disabled all commenting. Your comments are now up on the relevant pages but I’ll post a few replies of sorts here. Most of it will mean little or nothing to you, I’m afraid, but it’s the internet and paper is cheap.

It’s true: a PESEL is not a social security number except in the sense that in many countries your social security number is the only numerical identifier you have. A PESEL is only that: a numerical identifier. In general it’s always a mistake to volunteer more information than you are asked for by bureaucrats.

I’m afraid I’m going to cop out of the post on the abolition of MA theses: it turned out that the proposals reported in the Dziennik were “only” proposals and ministry officials hastened to say so when the whole establishment kicked up stink about the changes. They were just leaking/floating another scheme.

Something similar happened when Giertych announced the changes to the reading list for school children. Poland laughed and they wheeled out some ministry flunky to say they were only “proposals.” In this case, though, I understand a lot of the proposals were enacted. To speak of “MAs by research” was a bit sloppy on my part. The hitherto primary academic degree in Poland is called a “magister” and includes a thesis but there is of course a very large taught component.

It’s good to hear from you Damo. Who knows the primesidents’ precise motives for introducing the vetting procedure? I’m tempted to say that it’s less about eliminating the left than personal spitefulness and score-settling. I admit it’s a bit pop-psychological to lay the blame for government policy in a 35 million strong, functioning democracy at the feet of the personalities of its primesident but it’s just a feeling I have. There is no left left in Poland.

I write Health Care Bingo drunk. It’s a provocation and I don’t really think Poles are too mean to pay for a proper public health care service but– wait a minute. I do think they’re too mean to pay for it out of central taxation. Why else are there only varying shades of right wing parties in the country? And I’m sober now.