shamisms [ENGLISH]

Beautiful game time!

2010-06-09T05:52:00.000-07:00

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So the choice is ...

2010-05-24T04:50:00.000-07:00

Here, so you know in case you care, what color of counter tops we chose.

God bless America

2010-05-20T10:22:00.000-07:00

Since a couple of days I have better appreciation of this country ... and ironically God is the reason, but in reverse, why I like it here more and more ...

My other native country Poland is going backwards ... soon they will be burning 'infidels' in the center of cities ...

So I though it was time to say it clearly, "God Bless America" ... I am very happy I am here versus Poland.

Good day everyone!

Next big project

2010-05-10T07:03:00.000-07:00

Thinking of this one for our kitchen

2010-05-04T05:27:00.000-07:00

Do doubt, God exists!

2010-03-19T10:09:00.000-07:00

Why wait? God is Omnipotent and Omni Powerful, why wait?

Let's stop Religious wars since they are KILLING INNOCENT people - not very God-like, just simply show us and we will have heaven, here on Earth.

And finally since this is not showing, if it would, wouldn't this be a bit closer to GODLY showing than some stupid tree on fire like Moses claimed? Lunatic, that's what we would say about Moses today, and lack him in institution.

Imagine if God did this, and added ... you silly people with your Buddha, Jesus, Mohamed ...
God is God, it is me, that's all there is to it. Now, start packing ... all of you. I just made humans incapable of being evil ... hey, I am God, I can do whatever I want to ... anytime, in fraction of a second ... you simply cannot shoot a bullet anymore or harm another creature, even fly, ... I just made that so ...

Like I said, I am omnipowerful, everlasting, all-knowing ...
You silly humans, you though you knew me ha? ha ha ... what a bunch of silly creatures ...

Our new house

2009-12-08T05:50:00.000-08:00

Polska Wersja (Polish Version of this entry)

Since August 20th 2009 we live in new house. Well, it is not 'new' just new for us. The house was actually build in 1930's so there were lots of old things we (I :-)) needed to change. We are making progress. With face-book and nasza-klasa (Polish equivalent of classmates) I realize this blog is missing lots of info about this new undertaking that takes most of my energy and time. So here you will find some photos related to this project (not necessarily in order at the beginning ... I organize them one day ... think of it more like archive of pictures related to our new 'nest')

Those pics summarize nicelly our ongoing inside struggle ...

Ski

2010-03-01T11:59:00.000-08:00

We ski a lot, even though we live in Kentucky

Long time ago was tubing

How Cheney Started War for Oil

2010-02-26T05:55:00.001-08:00

Just so nobody forgets what Cheney is capable of! Why isn't this person in jail? Why isn't he answering questions about 'yellow cake', 'we will be welcomed with flowers'?
Instead he criticizes Obama and goes on like he never lied and indirectly sent thousands of American young women and man to unnecessary death in Iraq?

Capstone from a year ago

2010-01-25T12:05:00.001-08:00

This capstone was the final for my Master in Public Administration Executive Summary only

Executive Summary

Problem Statement - Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (LFUCG) must reduce stormwater and sewer system overflow, increase stormwater capacity and overall, improve its stormwater infrastructure in order to comply with a consent decree between LFUCG and the EPA. Per decree, a stormwater fee must also be established. This paper examines the cost effectiveness of repaving public urban roads and private paved surfaces with porous asphalt. Porous asphalt allows the water to sink through the asphalt and reduces stormwater runoff.

Research Strategy - Through interviews with knowledgeable individuals, public stormwater task force meetings and research, we will examine the feasibility of widespread use of porous asphalt as a viable alternative to storm water tax soon to be imposed on businesses in Lexington, as required by the consent decree. Porous pavement would allow businesses to decrease the stormwater tax based on the area of impervious surface (driveways, parking, sidewalks, streets).

Findings – Repaving of even 1/3 of public roads in urbanized areas in Lexington is impractical and prohibitively expensive, as well as inefficient. Incentives for businesses to avoid the stormwater fee tax through tax credits are problematic. With a 100% credit, the return on investment is more than 100 years for existing pavements and 70 years for new development. The table below shows cost per quantity unit for total volume of stormwater, dissolved solids and total phosphorous between current situation of no porous asphalt and hypothetical situation of repaving 1/3 of urban roads with porous asphalt. Following, the comparison is made for private impervious surfaces changed to porous asphalt surfaces. Lastly, the table shows return on investment for new and existing porous asphalt in relation to $4.16 tax per 1ERU (2,585 sq feet).

Recommendations - Per dollars spent for total stormwater runoff volumes, dissolved solids and phosphorous in stormwater it is the recommendation of the author that porous asphalt should be strongly considered, encouraged and subsidized for new construction. Existing development may rely on conventional approaches to stormwater management such as improving open channels, and increasing capacity of and building new detention basins. Existing development may also investigate other ‘green infrastructures’ (ex. green roofs, green parking) to decrease stormwater tax. This recommendation is influenced by the desire to decrease stormwater runoff, which leads to better water quality, not purely a cost-efficiency aspect.

What is Poland like?

2009-10-07T07:35:00.001-07:00

Very interesting (Polska Wersja)

Senior Recital

2010-01-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

So I don't forget that I did play once :-)

Singletary Center for the Arts. March 1, 1998. 7:00 p.m.

It has been almost 10 years since my clarinet recital.

Paul Hindemith - Sonata for Clarinet and Piano

Massing bewegt
Lebhaft
Sehr langsam
Kleines Rondo, gemachlich

Norbert Burgmuller
- Sonata for clarinet and Piano
Leonard Bernstein
- Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, 1st movement
Louis Cahuzac
- Variations for Clarinet and Piano - above as video!!!!!!!

Happy "Lovers Day"

2010-02-03T11:03:00.000-08:00

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Legal, Social & Econ Sci In Environ SYS (Polski)

2008-02-07T16:01:00.000-08:00

I am tired ....

Problems with Faith

2008-04-01T10:18:00.000-07:00

Polska Wersja (Polish Version)

Problems with Faith

One - does not reason
Two - sees other religions' ideas as crazy but not its own one

Being of many things ...

2008-03-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

Polska Wersja (Polish version)

I have been accused by Europeans (both new and old ... think Rumsfold) of being too Americanized while Americans give me a grief from time to time (like on YouTube) of being too European. [If you do not like it here, why don't you leave]

I was taken by a NPR "This I believe" yesterday and Yo-Yo Ma literally talking about himself in a way that I could only add "amen" to his words

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=87960790

I am not You You Ma (if I had his talent, I would stay in Music) but his approach to being a citizen of no country and yet all countries speaks volume to me.

Since I do not want to lose what he said, I am quoting his words here.

"All Things Considered, March 10, 2008 · I believe in the infinite variety of human expression.

I grew up in three cultures: I was born in Paris, my parents were from China and I was brought up mostly in America. When I was young, this was very confusing: everyone said that their culture was best, but I knew they couldn't all be right.

I felt that there was an expectation that I would choose to be Chinese or French or American. For many years I bounced among the three, trying on each but never being wholly comfortable. I hoped I wouldn't have to choose, but I didn't know what that meant and how exactly to "not choose."

However, the process of trying on each culture taught me something. As I struggled to belong, I came to understand what made each one unique. At that point, I realized that I didn't need to choose one culture to the exclusion of another, but instead I could choose from all three.

The values I selected would become part of who I was, but no one culture needed to win. I could honor the cultural depth and longevity of my Chinese heritage, while feeling just as passionate about the deep artistic traditions of the French and the American commitment to opportunity and the future.

So, rather than settling on any one of the cultures in which I grew up, I now choose to explore many more cultures and find elements to love in each. Every day I make an effort to go toward what I don't understand. This wandering leads to the accidental learning that continually shapes my life.

As I work in music today, I try to implement this idea — that the music I play, like me, doesn't belong to only one culture. In recent years, I have explored many musical traditions.

Along the way, I have met musicians who share a belief in the creative power that exists at the intersection of cultures. These musicians have generously become my guides to their traditions. Thanks to them and their music I have found new meaning in my own music making.

It is extraordinary the way people, music and cultures develop. The paths and experiences that guide them are unpredictable. Shaped by our families, neighborhoods, cultures and countries, each of us ultimately goes through this process of incorporating what we learn with who we are and who we seek to become. As we struggle to find our individual voices, I believe we must look beyond the voice we've been assigned, and find our place among the tones and timbre of human expression.

Independently produced for All Things Considered by Jay Allison and Dan Gediman with John Gregory and Viki Merrick.

10 years behind

2008-05-23T08:30:00.000-07:00

Polska Werjsa

This weekend we celebrate our 10th years wedding anniversary. We will be in Gatlinburg on Friday, Saturday and Monday. On Sunday we will go to Biltomore Estate and ride horses. (10 years ago we went to Gatlinburg for 3 days for our 'honey moon')

View Larger Map

Xstmas Shopping Orgy

2009-12-01T11:55:00.000-08:00

Xstmas Shopping Orgy started again ... and the 'deals' are great!

I mean, obviously to make a gift you need a "deal" on super expensive top of the line things like Blue-Ray player ...

What, you though gifts are some 'symbolic gesture of appreciation'? Like you could buy someone say scarf for 20 dollars and that would be enough? What you are in some developing country with 11% unemployment or something?

Did you not get the memo this year again that Christmas is a national anti-terrorist campaign in which it is your national duty to shop expensive things that normally you would never think about with 10% discount on those super expensive things because without this campaign this country will fall into another ... Mozambique (no harm feeling Mozambique, just could not think of anything else)

Common man, 2/3 or national economy depends on you. You think we call "Black" Friday because of political correctness or something? We keep the dam malls open whole year to lose money only so during last month we can make some profit ... that is a nice model right?

But just one word of advice, don't buy longueur based on Victoria Secret adds. The girls don't come with the panties ... unfortunately of course. If they would, I would really really love Christmas! :-)

430 miles, 42 MPG - Honda Civic Hybrid

2009-08-04T07:31:00.001-07:00

My Honda Civic Hybrid going more or less to work and back - 7 miles each way, morning and evening, got 42 MPG. This means I can make 430 miles before going to gas station.

Not bad :-)

Road in the morning is the best as far as mpg because often you don't have to use Air Conditioning. But the KEY to such result is very smooth driving, very gradual speeding up. But a bit of luck is needed too. For instance driving in rain will never give you good mpg, rain under car and in air is not good for aerodynamics, the car must work harder to get 'through' the rain.

Car is great, on the other setting it shows that on 3,600 miles it averaged 39.8 MPG.

Dealer says 40/45 and it actually seems underrate city and a bit overrate highway (but with highway it also depends if it rains, against the wind? hills? how many people in the car ... weight in general ... and finally, do you drive smoothly 70 MPH or speed up like crazy, drive 80 or above MPH)

Edisto Beach 09

2009-07-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Religions do not exist. Time neither. God does.

2007-06-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

Listen to this excellent speech about GOD!!!

I was raised as Catholic. Today I only recognize God more or less as a Universe and all that surrounds us. (It is complicated and I do not want to offend some very GOOD religious people.)

Here is a passage from the book of Parker Lochiel Johnstone "Origin of the Universe, Life, then religions" that most closely resembles my religion.

"This man's God does not demand prayers about his weaknesses or demand supplications of his desires. This man's God does not expect him ever to be perfect, but rather allows him to do the best he can by following his own Conscience.

This man's God does not have to communicate with him through intercessors, ministers, or saints, or angels, but rather, through the quietness of his own mind, the beauties of his garden, the refreshing rain, the whispering breezes through the trees, the warm touch off a loved one's hand, the innocence of the questioning look of a child.

This man's God is all Nature of which he is truly a part. To talk with Him, then, is to talk with himself, and be aware that God's presence is constant. To him, this is what is known as 'prayer.'"

Here is another way to make my point

There were 4 good man and by good I mean they all were faithful to their wives, love and respect their children and did all the universally good things that most people immediately recognize as good (as oppose to bad) and do not need any special definition of what those good things are.

You get the picture.

The 1st man was Christian, 2nd Muslim, 3rd was Atheists, and last 4th one was African Bushman whose village was only relatively recently discovered by "white man" and till today he does not have electricity in his village.

Here is a question. Which one is GOOD? Which one is THE one?!

See according to religion, they all cannot be completely equally good ... 3 of them ALWAYS miss this 'one thing' .. Jesus, or Allah or XYZ, or The Sun God. God would only let 1 one of them to Heaven. The other 3 will (according to Religion[s]) burn in Hell.

So, until this situation changes, I am staying out. Sorry.

Sincerely,
Shamick Przemek Gaworski

All the respect to all who disagree ... pray for me then, let your God have mercy on me after ... well, you know after what. The good news is that if you pray for your God and allow others to pray to others Gods, then practically, there isn't that much difference between you and me.

We just may be both Good Man.

And here is more deeper and physical aspect that I like to tackle when thinking of God on the large scale. What does "omni-present", "timeless", and "infinitive" really means?

To start, you must read this article (no matter how much your head may hurt; my did!)

Discovermagazine.com Newsflash: Time May Not Exist

If time and space is like waves and light and not continuous, if it is getting closer to be explained by quantum mechanics, if time is just an illusion, approximation on the large scale, then the idea of infinitive and omni-present (universe; God) is suddenly much more understandable.

How trivial is "bible studying" in this context? Do we really believe that studying silly texts written by people 2,000 years ago are going to get us closer to the nature of God than asking the real questions, the difficult ones? What a primitive God it would have been that chose 200 pages long obscure book to sum up her existence and nature!

The bigotry of the nonbeliever is for me nearly as funny as the bigotry of the believer.
Albert Einstein

Why one has to be citizen of any country?

2007-06-29T08:12:00.000-07:00

Many people are and want to be citizens of a country. One may like this one or that one although most are citizens of the country they were born in. (Kind of like religion although they claim later in life that this is a divine situation and only that religion guarantees salvation while others will bring you hell. Some then are even willing to die to 'safe' others and hardly ever occurs to them that it is rather pure coincident that they were born in this and not another religion)

One may feel very strongly about his/her country, but does it really matter? Or think of it this way, if one sees a person primarily as "white" or "black" and pays so much attention to that fact that it skews his view of other attributes of the object, then most people will agree there is a problem.

Try to think from larger perspective, if you were born French would you not like it because there is something in you that is American? Or is it the society and culture that makes us who we are? And then, as that seems rather obvious, can we 'change' by submerging and accepting another culture, perhaps one that we truly like despite seeing also the other's culture shortcomings. But most importantly here, is or would be such act some kind of "sin", some kind of act that should be punishable by society? formally or informally?

In any way, in addition to my soon to be 2 citizenships, I think I want to apply to become a citizen of Pitcairn Islands ... will be 51st person

Sincerely,
Shamick P. Gaworski

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_citizen

Great success of Polish "mix"

2007-08-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

Mix of vegetables called "Salatka" in Polish is a traditional dish that can be found on most tables of Polish people in Poland (and abroad) (Note about the picture - salatka tastes better than it looks!)

Here is receipt written by my wife (American) if you interested

Sawatka – Polish potato salad

5-6 medium golden potatoes, boiled, but firm, diced
10 Dill pickles, diced
8 oz. block Swiss cheese, diced
6 slices med-sliced ham, diced
16 oz. baby carrots, steamed, chopped
8-10 oz. frozen (cooked) or canned corn
8-10 oz. frozen (cooked) or canned peas
One med to large onion, diced
Celery, 2 stalks chopped
1.5 cups mayonnaise (to taste if you like it creamier)
Fresh chopped parsley (do not use too much as it is strong and will overpower the dish, can use dried parsley)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped boiled eggs, optional

Boil potatoes in salted water until done, but still firm. Let cool and remove skins. Dice into about 1 inch squares or about the size of a sugar cube.

Chop pickles, onions, carrots, celery, ham and cheese and add to bowl. Add corn and peas and fresh parsley, then fold in mayo. Add salt and pepper to taste.

[add me] Cool off final product in refrigerator. You can decorate the top with thin layer of mayonnaise and create all kinds of patterns with vegetables, ex. smiley face with little pieces of carrots, eggs, etc. Be creative.

You can also experiment with all kinds of other vegetables. Use your own knowledge of vegetables taste to create "perfect salad" for your own taste.

(Keep refrigerated. It should last 6,7 days)

Psychological Projection

2007-08-29T11:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Sen. Larry Craig (Republican) was on the news. He was allegedly caught by policemen in a gay sting at some airport bathrooms. I am not sure of course that he is guilty but what strikes me in this situation is something different.

Most of us have some kind of weakness and I will focus on man here as I am one. It may be alcohol, sex (promiscuous also), drugs, laziness, obesity, nervousness along with abusive behavior towards wife and/or children, gambling, pornography, etc.

Whatever it is, most of us know this and try to control ourselves with better or worse results. Most of us, however, DO NOT preach about how all other people but me are so terrible and how sinful such activity is.

So why the Senator was so strongly voicing his concerns about Gay while only a naïve person would still think he isn’t one. I mean c'mon! Man up there will understand.

No man one pleads guilty to charge of being gay if they are not. For us man the idea of guy love is very vulgar. We, the man, we really, really like women for sex purposes. We really, really enjoy sex with women and if not for all the societal barriers and/or being in love and wanting to be treated with respect, trust, etc., we could have sex with different women every day

So when some Policemen in the bathroom would accidentally misread my signals and wrongly accused me of being gay and looking for gay sex in that place, I can tell you I would not plead guilty for this thing just to go away. I may not be a senator but I have a respectful job, family, friends, etc. I do not want to plead guilty for something I am not, for crimes that not only did not enter my mind but I would not do even if you pay me.

Why then this Senator was so avidly and openly bushing Gays before

I was watching Saturday Nigh one day and some sketch was about why so and so was so creative in his life. He, the actor that played that person on SNL was already looking a bit drugged and said "LSD is a powerful drug man, powerful drug"

Projection is a powerful thing my friend, powerful thing

In psychology, psychological projection (or projection bias) is a defense mechanism in which one attributes to others one’s own unacceptable or unwanted thoughts or/and emotions. Projection reduces anxiety by allowing the expression of the unwanted subconscious impulses/desires without letting the ego recognize them. The theory was developed by Sigmund Freud and further refined by his daughter Anna Freud, and for this reason, it is sometimes referred to as "Freudian Projection" [1][2]"

Source - Wikipedia. Maybe, however, we are all guilty of some projecting

PS. Let me clarify something here. Gay sex is not a crime! Gay people are fine and the same as others. God blesses you all! (Otherwise, take your God away from me please) To do it in public bathrooms is an "offense" just it would be between man and women. The biggest crime here is of course the hypocrisies of "Evangelical Christian so-called Values" ... maybe it is time to let people live and have sex with whoever they want and in general get the hell out of someone's life as it is none of your (dam) business?

Hectic Times

2007-09-05T11:00:00.000-07:00

... to the Library to pick up readings for PA642 ... sent to campus office for new ID ... then back 400 yards to the Library ... back to my office to put off another fire ... progress some on some projects ... then making copies ... going for another meeting ... back to the library to turn back the few hours reserved material to avoid fines ...

... next day same thing, this time bank account is a little low so I run to one place to withdraw some money, run to the library to deposit it in our bank, then to the dentist who will make 4,000 dollars this year on me ... (because I was lazy as a child and did not brush my teeth! and the communistic dental care was far from good) .... back to the pharmacy for more pain medicine .... back to the office .... oh time to go to school - Wednesday today.

... it will be 8.30 pm before I will open my car's door on the parking spot and the only good thing about going home that late is that I can pretend to be NASCAR driver and spin down the rather empty parking lot all the way down from the top floor hearing squiggling tires on all curves.

... when I get home my kids will be still awake and Iza will no doubt insist on me falling asleep with her and one of the last things she will say will be "Daddy, I don't like your school; it takes too long; I miss you"

...but it is worth it right? Another 2 years of this and I will be a secret agent in some bureaucracy in Washington? (I picked a name already "Natasha" :-)) Or will I be some bureaucrat elsewhere? Regardless, I put nice little title in front of my name ... I will therefore be a "better" person?

... just sometimes, specially when your mouth is in pain for days and when you realized this is some 20th or so year you keep on going to classes of all sorts of colors and shades ... and it is close to a 100 degrees outside and you keep on going and going, you wonder, why can't I just be stereotypically ... "lazy American" ... or maybe stereotypes are just that, stereotypes?

Sincerely,
Shamick

One’s work may be finished someday,
But one’s education never.
Alexandre Dumas, 1802-1870