Cable TV

Cable TV and broadband internet connection were the last missing stuff in the flat, over half a year after moving in. In the spring and summer months, when outdoor beckoned and time spent indoor in the evenings and over weekends was sparse, my low demand for such services was giving an excuse to put back installation. Hence I have got my act together to fix it just recently.

After a research done over a year ago I thought I would opt for Vectra, which was the previous owner’s operator, yet on the home straight I have taken the trouble to compare pricing of plans, content of packages and technical capacities and I have changed my mind to eventually choose UPC. The crucial factor, with similar prices of TV + Internet plans (same cost of PLN 80 per month) and similar content thereof, was technical advantage of UPC, whose CI+ modules (I refused to have another box and another remote control) are compatible with most new TV sets. On top, the operator puts on its website a list of certified TV models.

The very installation, though booked and specified in the e-mail sent UPC sales rep over 2 weeks in advance, has not gone smoothly. I endured three visits over one day. At first attempt a technician came with a decoder rather than with a CI+ module. At second attempt another technician turned up without documents. At third attempt all went fine, except for the way he installed (or rather hung loose) antenna socket in the wall (not his duty) – this had to be mended by me a few days later, upon borrowing a driller from my father (what’s the point of having my own if use it 2 o 3 times a year?).

While I saved on a few months of not paying at all for the TV + Internet (I used a data package from my company smartphone via Wi-Fi router or fell back on pre-paid LTE), my monthly rate is now higher (some PLN 20 per month) than it would be, had I contracted the service in a few months ago. Telecommunication services are one of those whose prices have risen markedly in 2019.

A broadband Internet is a must, especially if you want to make the most of video / audio contents (mere Youtube offers several full films or series for free) available online, but also to pursue home office if necessary. Benefits of possessing the cable TV are questionable. I over the recent 3 weeks I watched a few documentaries, films or TVN24 evening programs but nothing more.

Choosing a TV (I purchased 43-inch plain-vanilla, yet UPC-compatible LG for PLN 1,400) has made me realise what stride has been made technology-wise. The relatively inexpensive (yet prices 2 times higher than the simplest) TV set combines functions of a TV, a decoder, a video player / recorder and a computer (Internet browser built it). One thing I need to explore is Netflix which has a dedicated button on the remote control. But since I have not had an account on my computer, odds I get to grips with it before year-end are miniscule.

Film-wise, last Wednesday I went to a cinema to see “Boże Ciało” before it is withdrawn from the silver screens. I do not feel like reviewing it; the film deserves watching, but it has left me numb in a chair…

The post-election landscape

The opposition’s victory in the Senate election is a combination of (a stroke of) luck and (leaders’) judgement. The strategy to run united in most constituencies has paid off and so far has stood the test of time. PiS, despite numerous attempts to buy off upper house deputies has not managed to undercut the frail (one seat) majority (this does not mean we can be confident no traitor flees the camp of anti-PiS in coming months). The inability of the ruling party to come to terms with the result of the election proves its latent anti-democratic character, while the track record of senators from KO, Lewica and PSL proves the selection of candidates was careful.

The big test for the unity of the ruling coalition (remember PiS has created a government together with its allies from Solidarna Polska and Porozumienie). The latter grouping, whose leader is Mr Gowin, disapproves of the government’s plan to scrap the limit of 30 average salaries above which social security contributions are no longer charged (to avert payments of sky-high pensions in decades). The desperate endeavour to raise more money to the 2020 budget at the expense of next generations is widely criticised, yet no one can be confident whether Mr Gowin finally gives in, or what stance Lewica takes on it (they are about to announce their strategy tomorrow). While Mr Gowin has track record for voting for law he was unhappy with, Lewica has a test to pass to prove they are a responsible, forward-looking leftist party. Sufficient would be their proposal to bring in another tax bracket for the richest (tax progression is a natural element of a leftist agenda) and firm refusal to support solutions which create huge obligations in decades to come.

Disclaimer: the author is materially affected by the “30 wages limit”, hence he refrains from commenting any further on the issue.

Another test for the opposition is the presidential election, due in six months. Donald Tusk has already dispelled all doubts and has quit the fight for presidency. Some say, probably rightly, he fears a defeat with a mediocre incumbent president which is highly probably due to strong negative electorate Mr Tusk has on account of his unpopular decisions. I believe the move is wise and boosts changes to change the resident of the presidential palace.

From the 3 oppositional parties only PSL has chosen their candidate. In the first round I would not vote for Mr Kosiniak-Kamysz, as his views, especially social ones, do not square with mine.

Lewica keeps struggling to find a candidate (who will rather be a male), yet among their core politicians I do not see any charismatic character who would be capable of making it to the run-off.

Koalicja Obywatelska, with clear declaration of Mr Tusk now is about hold an internal election and let its member choose the most suitable runner. Two candidacies which are now present in the social media are Małgorzata Kidawa-Błońska and Radosław Sikorski. The former lacks charisma and drive to take part in the difficult race in which blows below the belt will be frequent. The latter, as a minister is PiS government in 2005-2006 enchanted with late president Lech Kaczyński, lacks strong anti-PiS credentials which seem necessary to garner votes of leftist voters who must not stay at homes during the run-off if Mr Duda’s re-election is to be averted.

In May 2020 I will end up, again, voting for the lesser of two evils.

For the sake of safety…

Sunday, 20 October, early afternoon, the other end of Warsaw. A 33-year-old man with his wife and child cross ul. Sokratesa to get to a nearby playground. The man is killed by a 31-year-old male, driving 130 kmph in his orange BMW. A dashboard camera from a city bus recorded the tragedy (0:15).

 

The accident has sparked off a debate how to improve safety on Warsaw’s roads, especially pedestrians’ safety, to take the extra mile to reduce the number of fatalities in the capital. The town hall officials have come up with setting up “30 kmph zones” across town, which stirred uproar with motorists.

The tragedy is incontestable, however I believe the discussion on exact solutions aimed at improving road safety should be freed from emotional overtone, inevitable in such circumstances. Especially bearing in mind no regulations will prohibit road hogs behind wheels of too powerful vehicles from speeding.

The town hall has compiled a list of dangerous streets in Warsaw where traffic ought to be slowed down. One of them is ul. Stryjeńskich in Ursynów, especially its section between ul. Belgradzka and ul. Przy Bażantarni (photo on the front cover of the most recent “Passa” local newspaper) where drivers dare to speed up to even 80 kmph.

Oddly enough, in 2016 civic budget an initiative to narrow the street down from 4 to 2 lanes in both directions and mark off cycling paths was one of the winning ones. Soon later, the citizens with support of the district’s mayor have dashed the plan.

Is the street dangerous? I witnessed the last accident there last month, when 3 cars collided and some of the passengers were injured, but this was the only collision since I moved in. The enquiry to the search engine reveals a serious accident is reported on the aforementioned section of ul. Stryjeńskich on average once a year, however pedestrians were involved in none of the accidents.

Recently mayor of Ursynów has put forward installing speed bumps to slow down the traffic. The idea has taken nearly no one’s fancy, including local residents (who say more systemic solutions ought to be considered) and the City Road Authority (reminding ul. Stryjeńskich is a G-category road, i.e. a main road / thoroughfare, therefore it is not permitted to install speed bumps there, at least without changing the road’s status).

I believe there are several better ways of calming down the traffic, with narrowing down lanes as the primary one. If a lane is narrower, a driver naturally reduces speed to stick onto the lane. As lanes are narrower, the northbound and southbound lanes should finally be separated and junctions with minor roads (ul. Jaworowa, ul. Małej Łąki) properly marked.

Traffic should definitely be slower, yet it should be smooth. A speed bump reducing temporarily speed to 30 kmph means motorist would decelerate ahead of it and accelerate after it. Everyone who has some notion about driving knows a vehicle consumes more fuel when it accelerates and less when it moves at steady speed. So what ought to be done on major roads is adjusting them to lower, yet reasonable steady speeds rather than putting on the table poorly analysed solutions on the spur of the moment.

Looking forward to seeing no more accidents on this stretch of ul. Stryjeńskich.

A balmy October

Folk sayings tell after a hot summer comes a harsh winter. While the coming winter is expected to be one of the mildest ever, autumn in 2019 stands a chance to be one of the warmest ever, also after the very warm October.

This year’s summer, especially the record-hot June has made be pondered upon the detrimental effects of the global warming, which make themselves felt dreadfully in summer months. A heat wave in June, July or August is a misery, but in October… Paradoxically over a fortnight long influx of Saharian air over Poland has generally been appreciated as the advent of grey, chilly autumn has been put back.

After two weeks of unusual warmth one could wonder whether October 2019 would go down as the warmest in the history. Had the entire month been as warm as its second decade and first seven days of its third decade, it would have come out record-hot. However because of the two cold spells, one in the first decade, the other in the last days of the month, it ranked as third-warmest, with average temperature of +11.2C. It was much warmer in October 1907 (+12.9C) and in October 2000 (+11.6C). Plus the recent October was the third one in a row with double-digit average temperature.

Some statistics, since I adore to back all my assertions with numbers:

- month-time high: +24.3C on 14 October 2019 (short of heat record in October for Warsaw, +25.9C set on 5 October 1966),

- month-time low: -1.8C on 31 October 2019,

- the warmest day: 13 October 2019, on the election day the daily temperature averaged out +17.1C, as warm as usually in the third decade of August,

- the coldest day: 31 October 2019, mean temperature of only +2.7C, typical for second decade of November…

On 14 October I took a day off to make the most of the summer-like warmth and to cool down after the election. After a lunch at noon, I took a bike for a 35-kilometre ride. To the right, 2 p.m., temperature peaks at +24C, plenty of sunshine. Few people on the western bank of Vistula, those who could be found there roamed around or sunbathed. Of note is the fact exactly 10 years earlier, on 14 October 2009, Warsaw was hit by snow.

Looking south, spans which will carry the Southern Bypass of Warsaw over Vistula. The delay in works has reached around one year and the entire bypass stands a chance to be completed nor earlier than in mid-2021. By that time the southern part of Ursynów will need to endure the nearly constant road congestion which actually helps me drive as little as I can (4,500 kilometres driven since moving in, which includes three long trips of approximately 2,500 kilometres in total which means I have reduced around-town mid-distance driving to less than 300 kilometres per month).

To the right – view atop the flood embankment along ul. Wał Zawadowski. The sky was clear, azure, the leaves on most tress still green. The only missing piece was a coal train, however with low heat generation on the day, odds of spotting one were naturally lower.

Having ventured riverside, I cycled south. The snap taken on one of the oldest and widest cycle paths in Warsaw, along ul. Przyczółkowa. I confess I took this photo in motion. Fiery colours of autumn taking over, illuminated by still strong sunlight.

I passed the construction site of the Southern Bypass of Warsaw, on the junction with ul. Przyczółkowa. At this very spot works seemed quite advanced, but after over a year and half, completion loomed far ahead.

Further, I took a stopover at leisure park in Powsin and pedalled on west. Here, a snap taken from a middle of a field on the southern edge of Las Kabacki. Majority of trees were still in leaf. Looking at the photo, if I were to guess the day of year when it was taken, I would bet on 20 September.

Back home, at quarter past four, back then of daylight saving time. A view from my living room (and from my balcony), looking west-south towards the forest. This view from the window was one of the reasons I was damn determined to get into possession of my current flat.

Same view, five days later, i.e. on Saturday (19 October) morning. Mist hovering in the distance, trees have shed some leaves, yet after a brisk morning came another anomalously warm (as for second half of October) day.

Another snap, taken another week later, on Saturday, 26 October. Day-time high of +19.2C, my probably last bike ride this year. The ground covered with fallen leaves, chilly wind taking a gloss off warmth. Summer was visibly fading.

More than 10 kilometres south, ponds in Zalesie Dolne, in the distance tracks of Warsaw – Radom railway line. I cycled south to Zalesie Górne to take a train to W-wa Dawidy (and make use of my travelcard valid outside Warsaw) before it got dark (and before clocks went backward).

At the end, 3 snaps from Friday’s afternoon walk. The weather has changed last Sunday within a few hours. All Saints’ Day was sunny, but chilly. Day-time high was +7C. I strolled to a meadow on the northern verge of Las Kabacki, west of ul. Moczydłowska, my magical hangout. In the distance, residential blocks of Kabaty…

A field of cabbage by ul. Moczydłowska makes me wonder who cultivates arable land which is worth millions. I estimate the entire area covered with unharvested cabbages could be sold of eight-digit sum… Unless proximity to the forest hinders obtaining a planning permission these days…

At the end of my walk, I scrambled up Górka Kazury, to observe the sunset. Sadly, the sky had clouded over, yet I resolved to revisit the place with a camera on a sunny afternoon in weeks to come and catch the sun going down beyond Las Kabacki.