-- TRZASKOWSKI'S CAMPAIGN STAFF LYRICALLY ENCOURAGE VOTING ON SUNDAY: https://300polityka.pl/news/2020/07/09/krzyzyki-wyborcze-sa-wszedzie-nawet-w-odkladanych-sztuccach-i-grach-przy-muzyce-pezeta-kampania-trzaskowskiego-lirycznie-zacheca-do-glosowania/ -- PRIME MINISTER ON FINANCES BEING IN GOOD SHAPE, SASIN ON IMAGINING BROADENING THE GOVERNMENT'S POLITICAL BASE, TRZASKOWSKI ASKS ABOUT COUNCIL OF MINISTERS SESSIONS, PRESIDENT CAMPAIGNING FROM 6 AM, KUKIZ VOTES FOR BOTH - 300LIVE: https://300polityka.pl/live/2020/07/09/ -- POLITICAL EARTHQUAKE AWAITS IF DUDA WASN'T BLUFFING - AGATON KOZIŃSKI IN WP: “If the suggestion contained in Andrzej Duda’s Wednesday proposal is true, it means a political earthquake awaits us after the elections. But it could also just be a presidential bluff. The question is whether someone will be able to say: 'I call your bluff'. Andrzej Duda’s Wednesday proposal might be a simple bluff, a game in the final stretch of the campaign. But if it’s just a bluff, it was thrown out with great sensitivity. Because the leaders of two small parties also know the saying that when you can't defeat someone, it's better to join them.” -- THE PRESIDENT'S MOVE ALLOWS HIM TO GAIN SEVERAL THINGS FOR HIMSELF - KOZIŃSKI CONTINUES: “Certainly, this move allows the president to gain several things for himself. Firstly, by making such a proposal, he seems to be saying directly: my victory on July 12 is certain. Secondly, he shows that he is an important player in politics, that he is the bridge across which politicians from PSL and Konfederacja (if they want to, of course) can move to the ruling camp. Thirdly, by putting forward such a proposal, he positions himself as a president supported by a clear majority of voters. Duda, together with Kosiniak-Kamysz and Krzysztof Bosak, gained a total of over 52 percent of the votes in the first round. If the three of them were to unite under one umbrella, he could call himself the president of the true majority of Poles. The carrot in Duda's proposal is clear: the possibility for PSL and Konfederacja to join the ruling camp. But alongside it, there is an unspoken threat.” -- WILL HOŁOWNIA FORM A PARLIAMENTARY CLUB? - KOZIŃSKI CONTINUES: “One could dismiss this as overinterpretation, but the earlier comments by Paweł Kukiz confirm that there is something to it. The words that even he wouldn't have voted for Kosiniak-Kamysz in the presidential elections must have made an impression on PSL. On top of that, there are rumors that some members of PSL might move to a new parliamentary club, which Szymon Hołownia might be planning to form.” https://opinie.wp.pl/koalicja-polskich-spraw-kozinski-ostatnie-kuszenie-konfederacji-i-psl-opinia-6529946595048128a -- DUDA IS TRYING TO REACH PSL VOTERS AND MID-LEVEL ACTIVISTS - MICHAŁ DANIELEWSKI IN OKO: “What is the sense of the president's initiative? Firstly, it is an attempt to reach PSL voters, and especially mid-level party activists. Duda is essentially telling them: 'See, you don't have to worry about your influence and positions in local government; if I win, there will be a place for you at the table of power'; secondly, it is a declaration that after Duda's victory, PiS will try to pull PSL away from its coalition with Civic Platform in several regional assemblies; thirdly, it is the prospect that perhaps PiS, after Duda's potential victory, will try to broaden the coalition at the national level to include PSL and Konfederacja, creating a peculiar national unity front of peasants and nationalists. Duda wants to win support from the grassroots. He is not without a chance. Is any of this possible? Yes, although for now, it seems unlikely. The leaders of PSL and Konfederacja responded mercilessly to Duda's initiative.” -- DUDA LOST THE BATTLE, AS THE MEDIA RECEPTION BALANCED BETWEEN MOCKERY AND IRONY, BUT THIS LOST BATTLE MAY HELP HIM WIN THE WAR - DANIELEWSKI CONTINUES IN OKO: “However, as we wrote, Duda's proposal is formally addressed to leaders, but practically to the party grassroots. The president hopes that the convergence of views on many issues and the national-Catholic rhetoric will persuade party activists – especially PSL activists in small towns – to campaign for Duda, even despite the leaders' opposition. In turn, if this gives Duda victory, the grassroots pressure will put the PSL leadership in a difficult situation; it will be hard for them to explain to their colleagues why they don't want to cooperate with PiS at the national level. So, on Wednesday, Duda lost the battle, as the media reception of his proposal balanced between mockery and irony, but we cannot entirely rule out that this lost battle will help him win the war:” -- DANIELEWSKI ANNOUNCES IPSOS POLL FOR OKO TODAY: https://oko.press/duda-zapowiadal-prawdziwy-dynamit-jeszcze-dzis-nowy-sondaz/?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1594272648 -- THE MOVE FOR A BROAD COALITION IS THOUGHTFUL, THOUGH RISKY - MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ ON THE COALITION OF POLISH AFFAIRS: “The move is therefore thoughtful, but also risky. The question arises about the credibility of President Andrzej Duda in proposing a broad coalition. Firstly, the decisions about the shape of the ruling camp are made not by him, but by Jarosław Kaczyński, who is the real leader of the ruling coalition. And although Kaczyński does not appear much in this election campaign, he is the boss here. Secondly, Duda does not sound very credible as a herald of national reconciliation. He was one of the most offensive and aggressive politicians during this campaign. He attacked various groups, he threatened Germany, he launched a campaign against LGBT people. In this campaign, Duda carried a sword, not an olive branch. And his campaign team has likely discovered this through polling – it might be a trait that repels moderate voters from Andrzej Duda. Hence, the attempt to change his image in the final stretch. However, there have been many such transformations during this term.” -- DUDA HAS BET EVERYTHING ON ONE CARD - SZUŁDRZYŃSKI CONTINUES: “First, the controversial pardon case, which provoked the head of state into a sharp anti-German charge, and then explaining his own words about mandatory vaccinations, caused the president to stall in his campaign instead of moving forward. The invitation to politicians from PSL, Koalicja Polska, and Konfederacja is intended by his campaign team to change this. The president wants to initiate a 'grand coalition of Polish affairs' and sit down at the table with various circles after July 12 to talk. This is certainly a strategy based on polling the electorate of the other candidates from the first round, aiming to encourage them to vote for Andrzej Duda or at least to stay home and not vote for Rafał Trzaskowski. However, it may mean that other campaign measures have not yielded the expected results, and Duda has bet everything on one card.” https://www.rp.pl/Komentarze/200709456-Michal-Szuldrzynski-Andrzej-Duda-niosl-miecz-Teraz-siega-po-galazke-oliwna.html -- THE PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE ALSO AIMS TO DEMOBILIZE HOŁOWNIA'S VOTERS BEFORE THEY SUPPORT TRZASKOWSKI - MICHAŁ KOLANKO IN RZ: “What is the reason for this message? Our sources close to the president's team describe its goals quite precisely. It is intended to work on several levels. Firstly, it is to be a communication directed at Szymon Hołownia's voters, especially those for whom the potential conflict between the government and the president is an important issue. The aim is to demobilize this group and ensure that at least some of Hołownia's electorate stay home and do not support Trzaskowski, or even turn their attention towards Andrzej Duda. Secondly, the president wants to show voters of PSL and Konfederacja that they can have an influence on political matters in Poland after the elections – if Andrzej Duda remains president. Moreover, estimates suggest that the electorates of PSL, Hołownia, and Konfederacja partially overlap. This message is directed at all of them. Thirdly, there is also a political perspective in local government, especially (though not exclusively) in regional assemblies, where the majority in coalitions with Civic Platform depends on PSL votes.” https://www.rp.pl/Wybory-prezydenckie-2020/200709455-Dlaczego-sztab-Dudy-postawil-na-apel-do-PSL-i-Konfederacji.html -- DUDA WILL WIN BECAUSE TRZASKOWSKI HAS A LARGER NEGATIVE ELECTORATE - PROF. ANTONI DUDEK QUOTED IN JACEK NIZINKIEWICZ'S ARTICLE IN RZ: “Voter turnout could be higher by as much as 4%, and even 1% can tip the scales to victory. However, I would be surprised if it tipped in favor of the mayor of the capital. Duda will win because Trzaskowski has a larger negative electorate, mainly because he is a politician of Civic Platform. If Trzaskowski loses, it will be mainly because of Civic Platform. He did well to chase Budka away, the 'whisperer,' but he didn't present himself as a supra-party candidate – notes Professor Dudek.” -- TRZASKOWSKI WASTED AN OPPORTUNITY - DUDEK TELLS NIZINKIEWICZ IN RZ: “Trzaskowski wasted an opportunity. If he had gone to Końskie, he would have increased his chances of gaining votes from the provinces. He would have shown he has character. His campaign team is making a mistake by not pushing for a debate. Is the election outcome therefore predetermined? Not at all. – Mobilization capabilities are balanced. PiS mobilizes more effectively operationally and structurally. Voter turnout is very high on both sides, although it will be difficult to increase it for Trzaskowski. We don't know where the ceiling of support is – concludes Professor Flis. Professor Dudek has no illusions: – There will be no knockout. Duda might win on points, but I will eat humble pie if Trzaskowski wins. Because the ability to attract new voters will be crucial for the presidential election outcome and the future of Poland.” https://www.rp.pl/Analizy/200709454-Jacek-Nizinkiewicz-Mobilizacja-mobilizacja-mobilizacja.html -- TRZASKOWSKI DIFFERS FROM DUDA IN THAT HE MORE OR LESS GRASPS REALITY - JACEK ŻAKOWSKI IN GW: “Rafał Trzaskowski differs from Andrzej Duda in that he more or less grasps reality. He is not ideal, but he knows what he is doing, so he does not sow absurd destruction. He doesn't have a magic wand, he's not infallible, he won't make everyone happy. But he won't, like Duda, bring absurd misfortunes upon us. In this situation, that's enough to not waste the opportunity and support Trzaskowski on Sunday.” https://wyborcza.pl/7,75968,26111924,czego-prezydent-duda-nie-ogarnia.html -- I HAVE NO PROBLEM SAYING THAT PIS HAD A CORRECT DIAGNOSIS IN MANY MATTERS - RAFAŁ TRZASKOWSKI IN CONVERSATION WITH MICHAŁ SZUŁDRZYŃSKI IN RZ: “That's what rational politics is about: drawing conclusions from the public's voice. I have no problem – and this is where I differ from Andrzej Duda – with saying what we did well during our government, and where we made mistakes, for which we paid the price in 2015 because we lost the elections. However, PiS is doing many bad, destructive things that they did not announce at all, for example, changes in the judiciary. Let's be frank: yes, the judiciary requires reform, proceedings need to be expedited, that's important. But that didn't happen; instead, PiS tried to politicize the courts. That's why I can praise PiS for a correct diagnosis in some matters, but at the same time say where we disagree. I would expect the same from Andrzej Duda, that he admits his mistakes. Five years ago, he promised to build a community, yet I haven't heard him praise his predecessors even once, or say that someone before him made any sound decisions that he is continuing. Previously, presidents, such as Lech Kaczyński or Aleksander Kwaśniewski, knew how to rise above their political circles; Duda cannot do that.” -- THEY CREATE FABRICATED THREATS TO HEROICALLY FIGHT THEM - TRZASKOWSKI CONTINUES IN RZ: “The president and PiS first create fabricated threats and then heroically try to fight them. There is no possibility of adoption of children by same-sex couples; incidentally, I am against such adoption. By preparing his proposal, the president introduces the concept of same-sex couples into the constitution, which was not there before. It is evident that these are hastily prepared changes. As for extracurricular activities, parental consent is always required.” -- MORAWIECKI KNOWS THAT WE HAVE SIMILAR OPINIONS ON MANY MATTERS - TRZASKOWSKI CONTINUES IN RZ: “The saddest thing is that Prime Minister Morawiecki knows that we have similar opinions on many matters. I fought against Nord Stream 2, it was we who fought for an energy union, for as many funds for Poland as possible. In foreign policy and relations with the USA, there is continuity. We invited American troops to Poland, and PiS continues this and I assess it very positively. Arguing about this only harms Poland's raison d'état. There are many more such areas that could be taken out of the current political dispute. But PiS's policy is based on the need to constantly attack. That's why they have to invent some unfounded stories about an independent politician having to serve someone. It's a destructive strategy. If someone is said to be unable to cope with the situation, to be making mistakes, well, that's politics. If someone is accused of being a thief without any evidence, that's much worse. But if it is insinuated that someone is a traitor, that they represent foreign interests, which could be a more serious accusation? A politician cannot hear a worse accusation than that they represent foreign, German interests. This is an attempt to expel someone from the political community! And Prime Minister Morawiecki finds extreme cynicism effortless.” https://www.rp.pl/Wybory-prezydenckie-2020/200709452-Trzaskowski-Potrafie-docenic-sukcesy-PiS.html -- TRZASKOWSKI IS RUNNING A GOOD CAMPAIGN WITH INTERESTING CREATIONS, BUT IT LACKS A BREAKTHROUGH MESSAGE - PIOTR TRUDNOWSKI IN CONVERSATION WITH MATEUSZ BACZYŃSKI IN ONET: “At the same time, I believe that Rafał Trzaskowski is running a good campaign – strong in terms of image, with good commercials and interesting creations. However, it lacks some kind of breakthrough message, a new narrative in which Trzaskowski would be credible. It's still unclear what the Civic Platform candidate has to offer beyond a more civilized anti-PiS stance than before – at least in terms of declarations, as the question of the credibility of this narrative is another matter. Presenting Trzaskowski as an alternative to the current government, but not replicating the model of the total opposition, is not enough. We still don't know what his presidency would be about. In a sense, I understand this, because on the one hand, the Civic Platform candidate is in a deep chase, and on the other hand, he cannot afford to lose anyone, so presenting some distinct emphasis here is very difficult.” -- HOŁOWNIA WASTED A CHANCE, IT'S UNLIKELY HE WILL END THE DUOPOLY - TRUDNOWSKI CONTINUES IN ONET: “And that surprised me the most, to be honest, when it comes to events after the first round. Faced with a duopolistic wall, Hołownia quickly and without serious preconditions, decided to de facto join one of the two main political camps. This means that Hołownia is unlikely to be the one to end the 15-year-long dispute dividing Poland between Civic Platform and PiS. And I believe he had great potential for that.” -- CIVIC PLATFORM IS NO LONGER A PARTY WITH VISIONARIES, TUSK SENT THEM TO THE DOCTOR - TRUDNOWSKI CONTINUES: “Trzaskowski himself has been following Hołownia's path since the beginning of the campaign. Just look at the Civic Platform candidate's commercials, his speeches about 'new solidarity,' and generally the way he talks about politics through the prism of dreams and visions to be fulfilled, which is everything that Civic Platform has lacked for years. It's no longer a party where Donald Tusk used to send people with visions to a psychiatrist. Because it turned out that this vision is, after all, needed – even if it's as general as Trzaskowski's narrative. And in a way, this is Hołownia's success. However, many of his voters may now be permanently absorbed by Trzaskowski.” -- PIS HAS FOUND A WAY TO SPEAK TO POLES - TRUDNOWSKI CONTINUES: “PiS has found a way of speaking that has encouraged many Poles to civic engagement and to take their side. This is well illustrated by the positive response rates to the question 'do people like you have an influence on the country's affairs,' which, during PiS rule, increased by an average of 40% compared to the second term of Civic Platform's government. This explains not only the stabilization of support for PiS but also the sustained increase in voter turnout. I hypothesize that the sense of agency, of 'inclusion in the community of decision-makers,' is key, even more so than the 500+ program, which is more of a financial-status confirmation of this dominant change of the last five years.” -- THERE WILL BE A RECONSTRUCTION OF CIVIC PLATFORM - TRUDNOWSKI STATES: “I expect there will be an attempt at a serious reconstruction of Civic Platform. Trzaskowski's candidacy, in my opinion, will strengthen the demand for new faces and a new narrative. Besides, it is still incomprehensible to me why Civic Platform did not undertake some far-reaching rebranding in the last five years. It would seem that the most rational move would have been to merge certain small groups and change the label seriously and permanently. Because when it was covered by, for example, Civic Coalition, it was still known that the key player was Civic Platform, which PiS could effectively scare and mobilize a large part of Poles against them.” -- THERE IS NO POTENTIAL IN POLAND FOR A MODERATE, INTELLECTUAL RIGHT-WING - TRUDNOWSKI BELIEVES: “However, when it comes to the right-wing, it is an even more complex issue. I actually believe that in the long term, there is no potential in Poland for a moderate, intellectual, and reformist right-wing formation that would not appeal to the main emotions crucial for PiS, such as revenge against the elites of the Third Polish Republic or brutal worldview polarization. Seeking a third way or an option acceptable to both sides of the dispute in these matters is – I say this with pain – doomed to failure. If some right-wing politicians were to say today: 'okay, now we propose conservative values, but ones where the social fabric will be rebuilt evolutionarily, not revolutionarily,' it would not be particularly attractive to voters. We have also learned this from the entire history of the Third Polish Republic. All more moderate formations – such as Koalicja Konserwatywna, SKL, Polska XXI, PJN, Polska Razem – died as independent entities faster than they could prove themselves in an election race, or achieved results that did not even allow them to cross the electoral threshold, and later even the subsidy threshold. Their negligible support did not allow for the independent presence of such groupings on the political scene.” https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/tylko-w-onecie/wybory-prezydenckie-piotr-trudnowski-kampanie-sa-dzisiaj-oparte-na-strachu/3dvhzyd -- SINCE THERE IS NO LEFT-WING CANDIDATE, I PREFER A LIBERAL - ANDRZEJ LEDER IN CONVERSATION WITH ARKADIUSZ GRUSZCZYŃSKI IN KRYTYKA: “In this round, there is no longer a left-wing candidate. I prefer a liberal, during whose term we can debate about partnership unions and the meaning of taxes in a democracy, rather than someone who participates in the extinguishing of democracy. That is, creates a situation where we will discuss these matters for the sake of imprisoned goals.” -- LIKE THE END OF THE THIRD REPUBLIC IN FRANCE - LEDER CONTINUES: “Like the Fifth Republic in France? For now, it is indeed the real end of the Third Republic – a generational change is happening, completely new forces are entering, new political divisions. I fear it resembles the end of the Third Republic in France more.” -- A NOSTALGIC DREAM, “GENTLEMEN!” - LEDER CONTINUES: “It is neither possible nor good for society. On the other hand, Polish political culture dreams this historically determined, nostalgic dream, in which 'together, gentlemen!' is the peak of civic aspirations, and anyone who does not respond to this call is immediately censored. Now, under the pretext of an epidemic, the right-wing readily uses this scheme. There is also a lot of hypocrisy in this, because deep down everyone knows that apparent unity is meant to cover up the existence of brutal conflicts. But woe betide anyone who reveals them; they are meant to be 'under the rug'!” -- LEDER ON BAUMAN'S RETROTOPIA: “Yes. For almost the entire past half-century, we in the Western world have had a very critical attitude towards utopias, dreams of a better future. Liberals believed that the future had already been fulfilled, and those critical of them, conservatives, looked back. This caused a shift in social thinking towards history. Models of the future have often therefore become attempts to reconstruct an idealized past. This era of the end of history and the associated turn towards retrotopia is slowly coming to an end – at least in intellectual life. Political life still clings to retrotopias. As Antonio Gramsci said, politics follows culture with a certain delay, which means that cultural trends precede political events. The expression of interests, even economic ones, also takes place within certain cultural frameworks. However, a change is occurring; thinking about the future as something new, as a challenge, is returning. The ecological catastrophe, of which the pandemic is only a harbinger, leaves no choice, forcing us to ask questions about the future, and more importantly, to design it, and at the deepest level – to choose a model of civilization. This involves a deep critique of modernization, that is, the process that we were all so proud of.” -- THE PROBLEM OF THE THIRD POLISH REPUBLIC WAS 50% DEMOCRACY - LEDER CONTINUES: “A maturing democracy that will expand the reach of its social base. The enormous problem of the Third Polish Republic was the fact that it was a '50 percent' democracy. And in reality, considering various types of elections and democratic, civic activities, even less than half of the citizens participated. In Poland, the tradition of civic engagement is not excessively strong at all; Polish society is spontaneously quite hierarchical, and moreover, we have known for a long time that huge social groups have felt excluded; economically, but also due to exclusion from various rights, the functioning of institutions, and finally, from a common discourse that protects dignity.” https://krytykapolityczna.pl/kraj/leder-bede-glosowal-na-trzaskowskiego-wygaszanie-demokracji/ -- THE PUBLICATIONS OF FAKT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT CEZURA - JACEK KARNOWSKI: “The multi-day campaign by the tabloid 'Fakt,' attempting to dress President Andrzej Duda in the robes of a 'defender of pedophiles,' or even worse (in my opinion, the most prominent cover also associated the president with an even more terrible accusation), will be an important turning point in our history. And this, regardless of the election outcome. If Andrzej Duda loses, it will be clear that he lost due to the interference of a media concern with German roots. And this will have very serious consequences for Trzaskowski's presidency. If, on the other hand, Andrzej Duda wins, it will not only be proof of Poles' exceptional resilience to manipulation but also a clear lesson that certain spheres of reality have their own DNA that cannot be changed in any way.” -- THE MOST DIFFICULT CAMPAIGN IN THE THIRD REPUBLIC'S HISTORY - KARNOWSKI CONTINUES: “There is only one answer to this dirtiest campaign in our history in the Third Republic's edition: mobilization of the pro-Polish camp. A strong Poland is within reach. We cannot waste this chance.” https://wpolityce.pl/polityka/508370-obrzydliwa-kampania-faktu-zmieni-w-polsce-bardzo-wiele -- AFTER YEARS OF PIS RULE, LIFE IN POLAND IS MORE EQUAL - RAFAŁ WOŚ IN TYGODNIK POWSZECHNY: “That after years of PiS rule, life in Poland is a bit more equal. And the model of Polish development has stopped resembling Latin America. And it has become more balanced. The minimum wage has increased from 40 to 50% of the national average. And the real average salary (i.e., after deducting inflation) has increased by 20%. The number of children living in 'extremely poor' households has decreased from 700,000 to 300,000.” -- THE CHARGE THAT THE RULERS HAVE PLACED THEMSELVES ABOVE CITIZENS IS TRUE - WOŚ CONTINUES: “You will also surely hear many arguments containing an assessment of the people whom PiS has brought to power as 'incompetent,' 'dishonest,' or 'unprepared.' In many cases, even you will have to admit deep down that there is a lot of truth in this. Just as the charge that the leader of the ruling party has placed himself above other compatriots, visiting his deceased brother's grave during the pandemic, is true. While others had to observe quarantine rules. They will also probably tell you that the times after 2015 remind them of 'governing practices used in the PRL.' Patiently listen also to the charge about the regression that has occurred in Poland in recent years in the level of openness towards sexual or ethnic minorities.” https://www.tygodnikpowszechny.pl/glosuje-na-niego-poniewaz-164023 -- ORLEN FOCUSES ON RENEWABLE ENERGY - DGP: “PKN Orlen does not rule out spinning off investments in renewable energy sources (RES) into a separate company, announced CEO Daniel Obajtek. According to him, it could be the company Energa OZE - a subsidiary of Energa. 'We are considering this direction, to spin off RES investments into a separate company,' Obajtek told journalists during the opening of a wind farm in Przykona. The head of Orlen did not explicitly indicate which company it might be, but suggested that one of the solutions is Energa OZE - a subsidiary of Energa. 'Energa OZE employs only 10% administrative staff, the rest are technical employees,' he said.” https://forsal.pl/biznes/aktualnosci/artykuly/7766431,pkn-orlen-mysli-o-wydzieleniu-inwestycji-oze-do-osobnej-spolki.html -- Kinuko Y. Craft for National Geographic, Commodore Perry in Tokyo Bay https://www.nationalgeographic.org/photo/13bay-tokyo/ Bays have been centers of trade, transport, and communication for thousands of years. The turbulent waters of Tokyo Bay were where Commodore Matthew Perry's expedition entered Japan, helping to open the nation to trade. On July 8, 1853, Commodore Matthew Perry, commander of the U.S. Navy, sailed four ships into Tokyo Bay and demanded, under threat of using the new Paixhans cannons with which his ships were equipped, that Japan open itself to trade with the West, abandoning its policy of isolationism (sakoku). Since the 17th century, Japan had been closed to Europeans. Great powers – Russia, Great Britain, and France – had unsuccessfully tried to force the Japanese authorities to open at least one trading port, without success. In the 1850s, the USA joined these efforts. The impetus for involvement was the incident with the whaling ship "Lagoda," which wrecked on Japanese shores in January 1849. Its crew, suspected of espionage, was arrested and only released after an operation undertaken by U.S. Navy Commander James Glynna. Upon returning to his country, the Commodore wrote a list of suggestions for the Secretary of State aimed at forcing the Japanese to sign a trade agreement. https://www.facebook.com/530780230335838/photos/8-lipca-1853-r-komandor-matthew-perry-dow%C3%B3dca-marynarki-wojennej-usa-wp%C5%82yn%C4%85%C5%82-czt/1487841324629719/ -- BIRTHDAYS: Włodzimierz Puzyna, Grzegorz Raniewicz.