Letters to Angola (07.06.2026)

The Mascaron Ball, or Eurovision 2026

The times erstwhile Eurovision was adequate to stand by the microphone and sing, they left in blue with a sequined jacket, live orchestra and the belief that the chorus should be hummed after the first audition. There's no song at this festival. There's a show. There's a concept. There's a visual. There's a man in a cage, a silver lord, girls in lifeguard panties from "Sun patrol." There's a beat, there's fire, smoke, wind, snow. There is everything – but the song. The song was pushed to the background like an aunt at a wedding who wanted to make a toast, but the cake just drove in (...).

This year's Eurovision was like a competition for who will hold the speech longer and louder. alternatively of the melody, we had a stream of sounds. alternatively of a chorus, a series of shouts: ‘aaaaaaa’, ‘ooooo’, ‘uuuuu’. And how do you find this song on the Internet? Where do I start? From, "the guy who screamed"? From: ‘Eurvision 2026 aaaaa’? From: “a song with fire and screaming”? The consequence is that you can find a finalist and a recording of the kitchen renovation. Man begins to miss the good old ABBA. Half a century later, people can sing “Waterloo” from memory. And possibly that's what's missing most: something that stays in your head for longer?

After each performance he heard, he wanted to shout, “Repeat!” And immediately there was panic due to the fact that there was nothing to repeat. Refren, what chorus? Which one? The 1 between the laser and the choreographed fluff?

Against this background, 1 of the fewer artists who truly paid attention was Alis of Albania singing about the parent waiting for her boy to return. He introduced the seriousness and reflection that on modern Eurovision look like guests who have mistaken the events. Man wanted to turn down his own cynicism for a while. There was something real about it, something that didn't request a blower, six dancers, and a LED screen showing a fuchsia-colored apocalypse. But he besides did not win with ‘Bangaranga’, due to the fact that the bangaranga (meaning Jamaican language noise, confusion, mischief) is louder than the imagination.

Today's Eurovision is simply a macaroni ball. Just watch Pope Leon XIV, hiding in the Vatican, call a crusade to defend the remnants of the European song from the infidels who turned the phase into an global display of glitter, tan thighs, navels, falset and pyrotechnics. And it's not about nudity. Europe has seen many things. The point is that increasingly frequently body, costume and peculiar effect are the only content the performance has to offer. Years ago we were offended by the fur, in which our young and beautiful Andrzej Piaseczny appeared on Eurovision. They laughed, commented, and fur became a national matter.

Years later, it turns out that Sand just overcame his time. He was like van Gogh, misunderstood by the contemporary, lonely prophet and precursor to the phase look. At the time, no 1 was ready for this, but present Andrew's fur coat against the background of Eurovision chaos would look light and like Nawrocks at Trump. That's the modest advanced garment. Minimalism. The states present represent not so much their own culture as the global algorithm: a small English, a small TikTok, a small fitness, a small screaming, quite a few lights. The Germans sang in English, and Britain came to Eurovision from "Eins, Zwei, Drei".

In the past, man at least knew that if France came out on stage, individual would endure in French, preferably at the piano and in the light of 1 headlight. Now there are so many flashing lights that a informing should be displayed before each number: the program contains flashing scenes that can origin dizziness and nystagmus. Eurovision Anna Domini 2026 is behind us, but Bangaranga rapidly came to Poland thanks to the Polish jury. TVP put on very young people, and then, not knowing why, everyone was amazed that we had given 12 points to Israel. And they just didn't know it was a political contest. They thought mediocre people were judging songs.

That is the charm of Eurovision. We complain, we flip our eyes, then we sit in front of the tv again next year, hoping that the song will come back. For as in life it is, “after night comes day and after storm comes peace.” So after the bangarand, there will come a chorus that does not request to be suppressed by peculiar effects. ELFRYDA TITUS

The Night of Museums and Their Power

Another Night of Museums was a success. The general movement that has been raised to the news of open places, not necessarily museums, is simply a very affirmative image of society. So the Night of Museums proved not only to be a cultural event, but besides a social experiment, already formed in our culture and morality.

There was something for the spirit – art, history, memory, curiosity of the world. And something for the body – food trucks, cafes full of people, night walks through lit cities. It was possible to enter historical shelters, look at conservation studios, see forensic laboratories or sit behind the desk of the erstwhile tram.

There were besides almost spectacular events. In respective cities, firefighters organized demonstrations of method rescue, military presented historical equipment, and reconstruction groups were able to turn an average courtyard into a scene from the 17th century. Elsewhere, concerts were played in museum halls, mappings were organized on the facades of buildings and displays of old photographic techniques. Someone's gonna say "fest." Maybe. But if, thanks to this, thousands of people first entered the museum and discovered that past did not bite – that's very good.

In particular, the fact that full families are involved, and even more likely, groups of young people who came to the proposed events spontaneously.

Of course – sometimes they were more curious in an industrial basement or neon than in the image of a Renaissance master, but from something you gotta start. Contact with culture is not always born of the delight of large painting. Sometimes it starts with curiosity, atmosphere and a average sense of participation in something common.

And the community was most likely the top hero of the night. At a time erstwhile almost all discussion ends with an online brawl, the sight of respective 1000 people walking from the museum to the museum was comforting. There was something symbolic about the fact that the crowd could be without screaming and aggression. That you can stand in line for an hr and not treat another man as an opponent.

And – yet – another matter. The protest of “Solidarity” – due to the fact that so I read the presence of flags and any postulates written on cardboard boxes at the National Museum in Warsaw – did not rise interest. I have not noticed that any of the dozens in the large hall are interested. Good. due to the fact that in those days, we truly want to forget about divisions. Are parents expected to tell their children that the Union, which erstwhile created the most crucial change in Poland in fresh years, has become the foundation of 1 political party, protesting only if this organization does not rule? Was that the intention? ANDRZEJ WELCOME

The planet is on fire!

There are presently 130 armed conflicts in the world. There are no people who have the courage and the power to end them. The latest example is the attack by Israeli naval ships on yachts sailing to the Gaza Strip. A fleet of yachts was attacked 1100 kilometres off the coast, in Greek territorial waters. There's been a malfeasance of food and... respective people have been arrested. Is this sea piracy?

Israeli minister late admitted that the starving of Palestinians is justified by securing Israel's vital (!) interests. I lacked any expression of outrage at what he said. But the full civilized (?) planet expressed outrage erstwhile the Polish MP showed in the Sejm the flag of Israel, where the Star of David replaced the swastika. It is crucial to execution 68,000 Palestinians; it is simply a private act of condemnation of what Israel is doing.

Only the United States could end genocide. But Netanjahu and his crew came to Washington and showed a projection to trigger an additional war with Iran. The Americans naively believed that erstwhile they attacked Iran, the opposition would bring people to the streets and these would overthrow the spiritual regulation of the Ayatollahs. Only Iran (formerly Persia) is not Venezuela, but a Revolutionary defender with 3 and a half million soldiers, which is an excellent support for the regular army. Besides, Iranian leaders have long prepared a nation to be attacked by Americans someday.

Prepared for war, Americans abstained from paying for humanitarian aid to various relief organizations. They saved nearly $50 billion, which they supported their arms industry. Maintaining this army, carriers, bases in different countries, and pay for soldiers costs 1 billion and 2 100 million a month. There was besides a war supporting Israel in conflict with Iran. It costs Americans a billion dollars a day! War in the mediate East has led 45 million people to search humanitarian aid, and this number increases all day.

Petra Bagger of SPÖ (Socialist organization of Austria) summed up the current situation with the words: “Our planet is on fire and we are reducing fire subsidies.”

In Poland hundreds of hectares of Solska Forest burned, and in addition we are witnessing burning crosses in various localities in the country. By the way, any physics institute should apply for the Nobel Prize for this policeman, who could prove that the Papal Cross in the triumph Square (now another name) had ignited itself from 1 of the stands before him. The fire department was notified in 2 minutes. She arrived after 8 and had to extinguish the full burning 12-foot cross with a sheet of metal. I'm not an idiot, and I dare not believe the authoritative version of the police. The words, “Let the Spirit descend and renew the face of the earth, this earth!” have not reached all. How much it is essential to hatred believers so that the activist of the ruling organization wants to compose at the sight of the cross burning on Good Friday: “A beautiful view”. Did she effort to match the individual who commented on the fire of Notre Dame Cathedral: “Let crap burn”?

The first Fatima mystery contains an image of hell, in which many people do not believe, until they find themselves in it. I feel sorry for them, even erstwhile they hatred Catholics and want to "drink" us – as Mr Nitras proposes. Fortunately, we cannot be driven out of Poland, just as the systematic extermination of Palestinians in Palestine, in which they lived for almost 2 1000 years, due to the fact that the Lord left his "chosen nation" in that time. In 1948, the English invented 2 different nations in 1 territory. And it stopped being peaceful. The large Israel task is now under way: from Nile to Euphrates. But first, it is tried to convince the planet opinion that the “Do not kill” commandment does not apply to Israel and, in part, the United States under the leadership of Donald Trump and many earlier presidents.

Everyone knows the U.S. President's thrust to subdue Greenland and/or Cuba. It may be worth reminding you of what it was like with Hawaii lying many thousands of nautical miles from the US. Discovered in the 16th century, they were ruled by local rulers. American missionaries began to “Christianize” them. In 1898, 2 American canons arrived and abducted the queen of Hawaii to Washington, D.C. She was told that the Americans would aid the people of Hawaii civilize. The Queen laughed at the Americans, saying she had moving water and bathrooms in her palace, and here, in the capital of North America, she had to go outside the building. It was said to be more clear, but it was not fit for evidence in the authoritative protocol. In 1900, it was established that Hawaii was a dependent territory. In 1959, they were granted the position of 1 of the states. Of course, the people of Hawaii have not asked... MARIAN PEKA

51% of the vote is not 51% of wisdom

The fact that the president wins direct elections, gaining over 50% of the vote, does not mean that it accumulates more than 50% of the wisdom of society. The mandate of the majority is not a mandate of infallibility. It does not give the right to any explanation of the law, to question the tripartition of power or to change the constitution towards concentration of power.

Democracy is not about the fact that the winner can do anything – like everyone is subject to restrictions. The Constitution, the tripartition of power and the membership of the European Union act as safeguards – you defend against the deformation of power even erstwhile any political majority tries to weaken these restrictions. A politician who, under the slogan of "greater sovereignty", seeks exclusive power, does not strengthen the state – but opens the way to authoritarianism, intolerance, closed borders and conflicts. RYSHARD P.

A delicate String

So much has happened to us and the planet before a short May weekend and after a weekend that I decided not to research specifically any event, due to the fact that moving 1 involves another, besides important, and it takes any time to get utilized to the thought that proposals can be uninteresting, confusing or inappropriate.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk, for example, had to discipline 1 Koalicjant and make the others aware that Jarosław Kaczyński and the divided Confederate would not decorate the government for him. Specially there was no time for scolding, due to the fact that he had many abroad trips planned, including 1 crucial and crucial – to Italy. And since he went officially to Prime Minister Meloni, he went to the Vatican, to the American Pope Leon XIV – to be with him that day before the second American, head of diplomacy M. Rubio. Is there a common denominator for Tusk and Rubio from this visit? It is. It's an election. There's alleged half-way, and here's more than a year's parliamentary.

For Tusk, the visit to the Vatican was more crucial than Marc Rubio. What we were talking about, we don't know, but Rubio, a Cuban Catholic, most likely got any kind of peculiar mission from his erratic plot. Well, Trump has alienated a large part of Catholics and hierarchs in the United States with his memes and comments about Leon XIV – and this is political and electoral. someway he had to deal with the stupid pronunciation of the juvenile behaviour of the superior, insulting not only the pope, but besides the office that Trump in the U.S. full. At the threshold of the 250th anniversary of the U.S., the common homeland of both, seeing them both standing side by side would of course be a super pre-election gift to Trump. But I don't think so. Trump's insinuation that the Pope wants Iran to have an atomic bomb is simply a cruel lie. Leon behaved like a statesman: he did not prove that he was not an Islamist, he simply reminded the planet that he wanted to be a Pope of peace and dialog at a time erstwhile peace and dialog are trying to force and in fact through wars and conflicts – from Ukraine, through the mediate East, to Sudan and another countries of Africa. Which is why I don't think Leon XIV is going to the United States.

Will he come to Poland? I bet you did, and it's not due to the fact that Leon's conversation with our Donald lasted longer than with another Donald's envoy. He'll come to us after the election for 1 reason. He knows that the Roman Catholic Church is inactive the deepest NGO in our society. He inactive has ambitions to specify not only religion and morality, but besides the politics of the state – although he is constitutionally separated from him. And if he is, and he is, if he doesn't go to the U.S. for the 250th anniversary, then he won't be here and before the election.

The question remains open – what did Donald Tusk talk to Leon XIV about for so long? Questions, and fundamentally speculation, are a lot. Will the Prime Minister say anything? It does not even have to, due to the fact that our Catholics have already received a clear signal. due to the fact that since Leon had a warm conversation with Tuski for so long and accepted an invitation to Poland, there is no problem with Tusk's government of the Vatican of Leon IV. They were most likely talking about war and peace. To Leon Tusk, he is simply a ‘peacemaker’, not a crusader. We do not know whether he accepts the Tusk line, which refuses to relocate migrants from another countries outside Ukraine. due to the fact that as for the Tusk line on the war against Iran, the Pope can tolerate it: we do not enter Ukraine with the military or enter the war with Iran. It is simply a tender but crucial string of politics and religion joined in our country with a knot hard to unravel.

It must be remembered that the Vatican, the governing center of the largest spiritual organization in the world, was and is simply a player on the global stage. They say: Like fear, to God. Marco Rubio and Donald Tusk declare themselves believers. The erstwhile must drink the beer Trump has brewed, and the second seeks a way to win the elections next year, despite the polling advantage of those who want to represent themselves as defenders of Christian civilization and ultra-Catholic national identity.

Pope Leon XIV will not buy this from our bishops or politicians. He would sooner find common language with Tuski and Cardinal Rysie than with fire extinguisher Braun and Archbishop Jędraszewski. Good thing he had a long chat with D. Tuski. But whether he welcomes Leon XIV in Poland after the election depends solely on ourselves, ardent (likely) Catholics. JAN KING (http address for editorial information)

How about fishing?

Time passes fast, you never know, and you're 83. How beautiful it is to live to see the spring: bhikkhus, quail, cuckoo... This year has been bad since January. Oncological ward, then urology, 4 operations, yet I am “free”. erstwhile walking on mountains, sailing, cycling along the Baltic Sea, and more late – boat, fishing and fish.

In May it was almost six months ago, so I thought the fishing fee would be lower. No way! In May, a full fee plus a punishment for delay. It's not that I was sick. The regional fishing union said that the union has immense financial needs: restocking, guarding, fishing parties, so there can be no relief. There are about 600,000 members in the ICE. I pay the lowest contribution (for 1 lake) – 430 PLN, my younger colleagues pay about a 1000 PLN. What kind of money is that? The taxation office tolerates the way fees are recorded – glued stamps, which can be produced millions.

A associate of the provincial board came to my lake. I've never seen a car like me! relation members, are we truly powerless? Last year, due to my health, I was on the lake 4 times, but I paid a full fee. Fish, unfortunately, little and less, dirty lake.

Look out! At the end of the conversation with the board representative, I said I was Ukrainian. “ And that’s different, ” I heard. Take your identity card to the fishery.’ That's how people in our country are treated by old, sick people. Catched by them to fish, which inactive return to the lake, I wish: “Be careful not to be caught by any friend of Poles!” Bogdan