shamisms

Edisto Beach 09

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

Long years of study came to the end

2009-05-12T11:46:00.001-07:00

Celebrating finishing my Master with JibJab - enjoy! :-)

2009-05-11T05:05:00.000-07:00

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Easter - the 'nonexisting' holiday in US

2009-04-08T06:34:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wonder why we start Xstmas more or less in October these days but Easter has just about the same importance in US as ... President Day or Flag Day. It comes, hardly anyone notices, and .... well, that's just about as much attention anyone pays to this holiday.

Too pessimistic for America?
Too religious? But Christmas is also religious ...

What's the deal? Where is the dam bonny coming from? Eggs?

Maybe the pagan truth is so mixed into this holiday, so much more than Wine God celebration associated with Xstmas, that we are too embarrassed to push on this holiday and make it more or less the same commercialized BS as Xstmas is in US?

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My First House Music

2009-02-19T11:26:00.000-08:00

Just found this today by accident.
Composed April 20th 2006 in Jabez Ky, after the conference I was bored in my room. This was my first attempt (and only one really) to compose whatever with Garage Band (Mac software)

Nothing Funny

2009-02-14T08:19:00.000-08:00

My wife jokes that Cezary Pazura is either the only actor in Poland or certainly the most popular one as he seems to be in all movies. This one is rather ... funny, but not really. It is a black comedy.

The Day of Waco

2009-02-09T11:11:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite movies. I especially like when he 'TRIES' to talk to his mother or when he dies on the beach and Mother comes with soup - as of course that is a medicine for all your life troubles! And the Polish people prayer is 100% accurate.

Watch it or rent it on Net Flix.

Ice Storm

2009-02-01T06:05:00.001-08:00

Because camera does not correct for image reflection, everything in horizontal view is switched 180 degrees ...

I found my old class ...

2009-01-21T12:33:00.000-08:00

What has happened with our class
Asks Adam in Tela-viv
It is hard to bear today
It is hard to live honestly

What has happened with our class
Wojtek in Sweden writes in Porno Club
I am paid here well for something
I otherwise like anyway

Kasia Tomek are in Canada
Because they have perspectives here
Staszek is doing well in US
Pawel got used to Paris

Goska Pawel are barely making it
In May there will be third child
They fruitlessly complain to offices
That they would also want to go West.

But Magda is in Madrid
She is marrying Spanish man
Maciek has lost his life in December
When they ‘walk’ houses

Janusz who was envied as he jump on
Each ‘wave’ when he was young
He is a doctor, he heals people
But his brother hanged himself

Marek is in prison because
he refused to shoot at Michal
And I write their story
And that is the entire class

And Fillip, physic in Moscow
He gets many awards
He visits Poland when he wants
He was invited by Prime minister

I have found our entire class
Abroad, here, in grave
But something has changed
Everyone is preoccupied with self

I have found our class
Matured and grown up
I have scratched our young hood
But it did not hurt too badly

Not boys anymore, but man
Women, not girls
Young hood will heal fast
That’s not anybody’s fault

All are responsible
All have objectives
All are rather normal
But that is so little

I don’t know what I am dreaming about
What star shines upon me
When among those strange faces
I am looking for a kid face

Why am I constantly looking over my shoulder
Nobody is calling “common friend”
That someone plays with me “Berek”
Or at the very least hide-sick

Our own roots, leaves
We are growing for ourselves
And big roots of course
Abroad, here, in grave

Towards the ground, to the sides,
Towards the sun, left and right
Who remembers that at the end
This is the very same tree

Let's help all of us and ... Stop Conspicuous Consumption

2008-12-02T09:04:00.000-08:00

One with Nineveh: Politics, Consumption, and the Human Future
Paul Ehrlich Anne Ehrlich
Reviewed by Shamick Gaworski

Six centuries before the birth of Christ, the great capital city of the Assyrian Empire, Nineveh was surrounded by rich irrigated farmlands and supported population of 120,000 people. Civilizations disappeared throughout humanity while others appeared elsewhere on earth. If our civilization consumes its entire natural global earth base, where will we go? The scale of human enterprise is now so gigantic that people are significantly altering even the gaseous composition of the atmosphere and changing the climate.

Biggest problems: 1) Deforestation. 2) Water: Overdrawn and underappreciated. In developing regions more than 2 billion people survive on inadequate supply of water for household use. 3) Oceanic Resources. We are depleting our natural capital for short-term gains with help of our inadequate accounting system.

Is humanity a planet-wide poison? After the invention of agriculture population growth accelerated. From 5 million or so people when farming first started, the world’s population rose to perhaps 250 million by the time of the Roman Empire. While overall population growth slowed to 1.2 percent, the world population will reach 9 billion in 2050.

While population of Europe and other developed countries slowed, the dense population of Rwanda is dependent almost exclusively on the resources and ecosystems of that small, desperately poor country’s own territory whereas the even more dense population of the wealthy Netherlanders is able to draw resources form all over the world.

Paul & Anne Ehrlich points out the major culprit of human predicament: not just number of people but their conspicuous consumption. Of course our accounting system does not record those costs.

We need to develop sustainable agriculture and sustainable living that does not deplete the nutritive capacity of the soil or the biodiversity of natural habitats. Nation’s gross national product (GNP) fails to account for lose of natural base. Humans are incapable of thinking globally. Most people are still focused on the classic social, political and economic problems. Few people realize that we’re living in what agricultural economist Lester Brown has called an “environmental bubble economy,” an economy in which “output is artificially inflated by over-consumption of the earth’s natural assets.”

In summary, humans and the natural world are on a collision course. Human activities inflict harsh and often irreversible damage on the environment and on critical resources.

I liked the book and how Paul & Anne Ehrlich tie all together painting gloomy picture based on past civilizations, overused and under appreciated natural base of today. I particularly liked their pragmatic solutions, be it difficult to implement, often almost Utopian. The one aspect I dislike was a bit disorganized material and some aspects such as overpopulation repeated over and over again throughout the book.

Want to see longer 6 pages version?

Obama!

2008-11-05T13:28:00.001-08:00

E8 - the most beautiful structure

2008-10-18T08:40:00.000-07:00

Very close to understanding ... God
One would say, sort of 'Sarah-like' way ... "I can almost see it from my window" :-)

Cyrcus is back in town ...

2008-07-16T12:57:00.001-07:00

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To My Child

2008-06-23T11:55:00.000-07:00

Polska Versja

Just for this morning, I am going to step over the laundry, and pick you up and take you to the park to play.

Just for this morning, I will leave the dishes in the sink, and let you teach me how to put that puzzle of yours together.

Just for this afternoon, I will unplug the telephone and keep the computer off, and sit with you in the backyard and blow bubbles.

Just for this afternoon, I will not yell once, not even a tiny grumble when you scream and whine for the ice cream truck and I will buy you one if he comes by.

Just for this afternoon, I won't worry about what you are going to be when you grow up, or second guess every decision I have made where you are concerned.

Just for this afternoon, I will let you help me bake cookies, and I won't stand over you trying to fix them.

Just for this afternoon, I will take us to McDonald's and buy us both a Happy Meal so you can have both toys.

Just for this evening, I will hold you in my arms and tell you a story about how you were born and how much I love you.

Just for this evening, I will let you splash in the tub and not get angry.

Just for this evening, I will let you stay up late while we sit on the porch and count all the stars.

Just for this evening, I will snuggle beside you for hours, and miss my favorite TV shows.

Just for this evening when I run my finger through your hair as you pray, I will simply be grateful that God has given me the greatest gift ever given.

I will think about the mothers And fathers who are searching for their missing children, the mothers and fathers who are visiting their children's graves instead of their bedrooms, and mothers and fathers who are in hospital rooms watching their children suffer senselessly, and screaming inside that they can't handle it anymore.

And when I kiss you good night I will hold you a little tighter, a little longer. It is then, that I will thank God for you, and ask Him for nothing, except one more day............

IT Job

2008-05-28T08:08:00.001-07:00

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')

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God is Everything

2008-04-25T05:57:00.000-07:00

GOD is believed to be omnipresent and omni powerful.
If we were to understand Her, we would need to at the very least understand the Universe, which either is all there is or is at least an aspect of God. From Newton, through Einstein we attempt to understand God (Universe) but did not quite succeed.

In most churches on this one of many rocks in the Universe, the only one we can be certain supports carbon-based intelligent life form, you would learn absolutely nothing or close to nothing about the nature of God. You will however learn a lot about what people couple of thousand years ago though of Her. In some aspects you may learn the philosophical and ethical aspect of Her, but nothing of the laws that govern Her.

For that, skip the Sunday trip to the Church or Temple (save on Gasoline too and protect the rock from overheating) and listen to the below.

USA Education System is FAIR

2008-04-11T08:18:00.000-07:00

Polska Wersja

I write some critical things about U.S. so I think it is time that I say something positive (see Juli, I can from time to time :-0)

In Poland, at least in Poland before ~1995 or so, professor at the University was God! Not only there was no syllabus but basically despite studying during entire semester, being good student that does all that is asked from him/her, professor could do whatever he/she wanted during the final exam ("Zaliczenie")

When I talk to my mother on the phone about my school, she is still used to that kind of thinking and when I am struggling in the middle of semester to get good grades, she says something like "But it is not the final yet right?" The assumption is, why are you worrying, this all does not matter, only the end does.

In U.S. professors are required and do provide clear guidance of what is expected from students during a semester and how will they be graded through out and at the end.

In the class called Public Economics (PA 652) we were informed right from the start about details of the course. The most important were 4 exams, with the 4th one being the final. We were told that only 3 best out of 4 will count and if we do well on first 3 and are satisfied with grade, we will not even go to the final.

Also, in contrast to Poland, there is respect of privacy of the student and random number are assigned to student and only particular student knows his/her number. This way student does not have to worry about being looked down because he/she did not do well on the exam.

I remember one class in Poland, in school of music. The teacher gave each student his/her exam but left one at the desk. Then he wen on about how stupid this person is. That person was me. I knew it and most student knew as they all could just look around and see who does not have his/her paper yet. Those kind of abuses were not that uncommon. Professors at the Universities often gave F to students during the final exam despite the fact that this was A student till that final exam. Sometimes the professor would then do a "favorite" to half of the class that found itself with Fs and gave them "poprawke" - another opportunity to try to pass the final. He/she would say they will have this session at 9 am in his/her office only to show up around 1 pm ... again giving F to half of those who waited there.

So, God or not, but something should bless the higher education in America, for its fairness and respectful treatment of students at the very least.

My random number is 27. I already passed the class (must go to last two classes ... last requirement) I can try for A by taking final. Now, Polish students, are you envious of such treatment? I would be.

Exact fair treatment is all classes although finals are usually required, this arrangement is rather unusuall. The key is that all this is predetermined at the beginign of semester. There is a CONTRACT between professor and student. Netiher one can dismiss the contract or not obay it.

Example of Syllabus

Colonization for "strategic interest" (OIL!) continues

2008-04-09T13:26:00.000-07:00

Republicans Agenda Is Failing U.S.

2008-04-03T06:18:00.000-07:00

Republicans Agenda Is Failing U.S.

Today we are in recession or will soon be in one in major part due to unregulated mortgage industry that lent money without enough common sense. The free market failed.

Patrick Rucker (Reuters) says "The collapse and forced sale of Wall Street giant Bear Stearns exposed the dangerous interconnectedness of financial markets and the faulty oversight now in place, U.S. regulators said in prepared congressional testimony on Thursday"

The collapse of giant Bear Stearns is generally speaking as a result of frivolous landing practice.

But to be fair, Free market did not failed. In free market we should watch losers loose and free market will reward those who play by the rules.

Republican party generally speaking is based on two principles that relate to economy and place of government in society:

Unregulated market as much as possible. (The evil democrats sold to EU interest want to regulate and regulate which is dangerous for our way of life, socialistic) (Unregulated: Energy Market, Financial Markets, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, Welfare, everything)
Low taxes

Just briefly, low taxes means among other not so much money for an army, but let me focus on INCONSISTENCY of Republicans when it comes to regulation vs. deregulation of free market.

So, your superbly conservative G. W. Bush administration is now proposing more regulation of the financial industry? How is that possible? Why don't we do nothing, like Senator McCain proposes?! It is not just fair but follows the doctrine of free market fairness and government not messing up with our society! This would be consistent with privatizing social security, private health insurance (current situation) and generally speaking consistent with the ideology of Republicans.

(As a side note, have you paid attention to Bush, conservative president, limiting severely ability to sue doctors - frivolous law suits. What happened to freedom of individuals to hold the doctor responsible for his/her mistakes?)

Here is why it is not working today and there will be more and more regulations in the future and USA has been following European model of more and more regulations, is following this model today and will be more in the future. In other words, we will become more and more like Europe and the "free eh ha cowboy style of Economy and Society" will never work.

Here is why Republicans will loose numbers and Democrats will increase its membership.

Our societies are complex, more and more complex. This isn't a situation like we had 50-100 years ago with few people and lots of open space with 0.1% of people investing in stock market while the rest lived on the farm or worked in cities never dreaming of 401K, health insurance, etc.

We, We as SOCIETY cannot afford SCREWUPS - the meltdown of economy hurts me and you, regardless of if I took the risky mortgage and you did not.

I did not take risky mortgage, I was responsible. Yet, my 401K lost tons of money. Gosh, thank the Democrats my social security is not on the market, it would have lost money too.

This is what Europe decided some time ago. Society in Europe cannot afford to allow free enterprise in the model of USA (Republicans agenda) because the consequences of some failures (undoubtedly there are also successes of free market) are too large and grave for EVERYBODY in the society. In densely populated Europe, failures are too risky to the society as a whole.

Ironically, few people in USA gets this common sense fact. McCain can run on 'liaise free' government but if he becomes the president, and if there is another economical crises during his presidency, he will do the same what ... Bush - another Republican conservative president.

McCain, Republican, will at least attempt to save us all from financial crises, try to bail out big financial institutions that got themselves in trouble. McCain will also help the people. The politicians simply must do so. The consequences of not doing anything are too large, too grave. It is easy and somewhat nice and certainly politically advantageous in reference to conservatives to say "let the market decide" but reality is that many Republican senators are going to their district and are being encouraged by people (Republicans presumably) to do something about it.

Go figure, to me this is at the very least dishonesty, not to say hypocrite agenda.

In any way, liberalism will win. Liberalism is a reflection of complex society. Don't believe me? Look at the blue-red map of U.S. Where ever there is densely populated area, Chicago, New York, California, people are "blue". Where your nearest neighbor may be few miles down the road, it is Red. As population grow, the blue will overtake the red. It just can't go the other way, because any failure of "red", and there will be more (nature of free market) will change the losers of that failure from red to blue ... overtime, there will be just different shades of blue.

Finally, with our current problems with global warming and addiction to oil, free market will not provide solutions without appropriate new incentives for green energy which can only come from government leadership - government is the people that we elect that share our values. Those values are changing towards "blue" because our society is getting more complex.

OK, now start the hate emails :-)
In case you want to go with the argument, "if you do not like it here, leave" I want to tell you that since a week or so, I am U.S. citizen and do not intend on leaving, except for vacations.

Problems with Faith

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

Problems with Faith

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

Going to work Monday vs. going for weekend

2008-03-30T16:09:00.000-07:00

My kids had an absolute ball with this movie. They both got it and were dancing like crazy and then mimicking the bear on the floor ... it was hilarious.

Financial Sector to lose thousands of jobs

2008-03-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

Joke about it (since it isn't going to be that bad in this country as economy will turn around sooner or later and people will borrow more ... what else will they do?) but right now I bet this is not a laughing matter for many ...

Terminator SG1

2008-03-24T09:05:00.000-07:00

Polska Wersja
A cyborg (part man, part machine) is sent from the 31 century to present-day Midwest America to assassinate a seemingly innocent women whose child will play an important part in the world from which the killer came ...

.... the half man half machine's name is ... Shamick Gaworski ... production of this monstrous machine started last year in some dental labs in Midwest USA, reportedly in the state of KY, probably in the city of Lexington ... the year is 2008, 1028 years before the rise of machines ...

... his first dangerous ability is a killer bite with his lower left jaw .... just look at those!!!

See Final Result - April 30, 2008

Being of many things ...

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

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.