Poles and chainsaws?
Asked by
Harp (
19179
)
August 23rd, 2008
At the O’hare International terminal, I was killing some time before a flight and noticed that at the check-in counter of LOT, the Polish airline, there were “No Chainsaw” signs posted all over the place (you know, picture of a chainsaw, big red slash). I think I counted 6 signs scattered around. None of the other counters had these. Is this a hot item to bring back to Poland? Is this a coup d’etat in the making? What gives?
Observing members:
0
Composing members:
0
10 Answers
I’m only guessing, but I imagine that someone at one time or another, tried to bring one on board as carry-on luggage, and the fear would be not the sharpness of the cutters, but rather the gasoline residue inside the gas tank, assuming that it ever contained gasoline, after being purchased brand-new.
Perhaps chainsaws are not as readily available in Poland?
August 23, 2008, 3:14 PM EDT
I was going to write a witty response along the lines of:
“Harp didn’t you know that we Poles are notorious for trying to smuggle chainsaws on international flights? Especially when we are visiting our homeland. I can’t count the number of times I have been turned away from the gate because of the oddly shaped lump under my coat and my grimace.”
But frankly, I find the idea of so many “No Chainsaw” signs at the counter of a Polish airline too disturbing to even comment.
say, that reminds me: did you hear the one about the Pollack and the chainsaw?
Before someone raises “Heck,” allow me to point out, please, that the Polish word for Polish (as in person) is, in fact, “Polack.”
Any person fluent in the Polish language, is not at all offended by that word.
August 23, 2008, 3:52 PM EDT
Perhaps a plethora of trees in Poland?
I like that theory Snoopy. I know on interUSA flights you can not carry a leafblower or a lantern.
I’m sure this is the answer.
For those of you who don’t live in logging country, here’s the quintessential logger joke. The stickers would perhaps be a reference to it.
A Polack walks into a chainsaw store and says, “Hey I heard you have these new saws that cut trees down five times faster than handsaws. I want one of those!” He’s appalled by the price, but he buys one and leaves. At the end of the day he comes back, furious. “Hey this thing is no good, I only cut down half as many trees with it as I do with my handsaw, I want my money back!” The salesman is amazed and says “Well I’m sorry, this is terrible, let me take a look.” He takes it out back and starts it up. As it roars into action, the Polack logger jumps back and says,
“What’s that noise!?!?!??!?”
Substitute “Greek”, “Swedish”, “Anglo-Irish”, “Malaysian”, etc. into this joke at will.
In a partial answer to the Polish question, a Pollack is a type of fish. Maybe that’s Pollock though…
To continue with the joke,
A German walks into a Malaysian store and says, “Hey I heard you have these new Ireland that cut trees down five times faster than Belgium? I want one of those!” He’s Frenched by the price, but he buys one and Russia. At the end of the Austria he comes back, Spain. “Hey this thing is no Iceland, I only cut down half as many Norway with it as I do with my handsaw, I want my Finland back!” The salesman is amazed and says “Well I’m American, this is terrible, let me take an Italian.” He takes it out back and starts it up. As it Portugals into action, the Polack logger jumps back and says,
“What’s that Costa Rican!?!?!??!?”
Doesn’t seem to work though, does it?
Answer this question 
This question is in the General Section. Responses must be helpful and on-topic.
Composing members:
0
