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Posts by Chicago Pollock  

Joined: 10 Apr 2010 / Male ♂ 		Last Post: 11 Oct 2011
Threads: 7
Posts: 503 		From: USofA, Chicago
Speaks Polish?: Noski
Interests: Outdoorski stuff

Displayed posts: 510 / page 7 of 17
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Chicago Pollock   
22 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]

Although I am not agreeing with the me, me, meism when it comes to healthcare America has no peer. Certainly much better than the UK system. Good intentions doesn't make a good healthcare system. Ya gotta make an effort too.
Chicago Pollock   
21 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]

I thought he meant I could get a zero interest loan.

I get offers from credit card companies all the time for zero interest for a year or so. When the year is up, switch cards. Also lots of guys run their businesses using credit cards for operating capital. They call it 30 days of free money. Credit cards are a lot easier than going to the bank for a loan, provided of course that you maintain your credit rating.
Chicago Pollock   
20 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]

even traveling loses its luster when you don't have a purpose. When I travel, I avoid the hotels and all the tourist traps. I rent a house and right away start scheeming about what would it take to live there and not be bored.

I agree. When I go to Poland I'm going to see if I can find my ancestors towns and cities, just to give me something to do. I couldn't go to Poland without some sense of history of the place. I just can't look at buildings and countryside without some historical context, it gets boring fast.

I thought to mess around with this kit (probably will wait till spring now), it does a hydrogen injection into the fuel/air mix, and then hopefully in a couple years, if technology allows, pull the entire engine and reseat something else in there.

Hydrogen injection? Where does the hydrogen come from? Methonol/water injection from SNOW may be more practical. Remember water is Hydrogen.

Borrowing money?

At zero per cent interest rates, now is the time to borrow money.

i don't think many people count on 401k or irs'a anymore...

If you held onto your stock portfolio through 2009 you did quite well. Problem is, most people bailed in 2008 and went into bond funds.
Chicago Pollock   
19 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]

They will be ending extended unemployment benefits next month. we'll see just how rich America is then.

No, we don't want to do that. That's the only thing we have going is unemployment benefits.

We can't cut the deficit without addressing our economy. They have to be done in unison. Addressing the economy? Import duties, especially on imported oil.

Hydrogen? You'll need a high compression engine. That is you need different pistons or shave some material off the heads or block or both (race car stuff). Get a junk car, rebuild the engine for high compression, enlarge the fuel injectors for ethanol, high performance plugs and use E-85. Add a turbocharger. That's the closest you'll get to hydrogen.
Chicago Pollock   
18 Nov 2010
Law / The risk of investing in Europe has risen and Poland has suffered accordingly [90]

It's popular these days to think because gold is a metal that it's value is more consistent than paper money. This thinking is an illusion. Paper and gold are one and the same, their value is relative. We handled our debts by circulating money. We had the Great Depression because we restricted the money supply.
Chicago Pollock   
18 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Not everyone that lives or comes from America is RICH! [300]

"The Rich attribute to the gods what they got by Luck" Aristotle

I truly believe Ron Paul and others like him could save the country by eliminating the Federal reserve and starting up a national banking system that prints it's own money instead of borrowing it from rthe Fed.

Ron Paul wants to go back to the Gold Standard which would massively restrict our money supply. We (Americans) need to make sure that money circulates until we get our manufacturing back.

i have a real nice car have no doubt, I drive.

Ethanol w/water will get you hydrogen in a high compression engine. In the mean time use E-85. The car that won the high mpg test was designed to run ethanol. Ford has a flex fuel that gets the same mileage with E-85 & gas.
Chicago Pollock   
18 Nov 2010
Real Estate / Buying a flat in Krakow; prices are still falling? [200]

The zloty is weakening big time ATM. Wonder why?

Poland controls the value of the zloty so don't expect big variations. However when Poland accepts the Euro, than what??
Chicago Pollock   
18 Nov 2010
Law / The risk of investing in Europe has risen and Poland has suffered accordingly [90]

Poland isn't part of the Euro zone, which is nearly as failed of a currency as the Dollar

The dollar isn't a failed currency, it's the "world reserve currency". The Poland zloty is succeeding due to the fact that Poland has control over it's currency. The problem with Ireland is that it doesn't have control since it gave up the punt. That's what's wrong with the Euro zone, it's the Euro. The German-France "fix" is in. Poland soon to follow.

Call whatever you want. As far as fiat currencies go, which I am completely against, NBP has managed theirs fairly well to achieve their objectives, which screw over the common people, as all fiat currencies do.

The common people get screwed when the circulation of money is restricted as a gold standard would do. Simply put, there isn't enough gold to go around.
Chicago Pollock   
17 Nov 2010
News / WHY IS POLAND STILL GIVEN THE COLD SHOULDER? [197]

Nice fantasy, the US makes up about 15% of Chinese total trade with the world. The majority of their dollar holdings are in Fannie and Freddie, and they've already quickly diversified into non dollar holdings over the last couple of years...while still being the largest foreigner buyer of US debt (by far).

Not a fantasy (Free market Monetarist Economic policy is a fantasy). The USA market is more important than you presume. We'll take our manufacturing back and they can take their money back and see what happens. The Chinese economy is a creature of our design.
Chicago Pollock   
14 Nov 2010
Work / What qualifications are needed for English teachers in Poland? [49]

Now I ask you: Who was the better teacher??

the good looking babe.

Regrettably, as the gap between rich and poor widens even more, America will resemble the pre-Roosevelt Era of a Dickens-style capitalism where only the Social Darwinists held sway. Is that the sort of country you want, friend?? If so, then join the Tea Partiers and hop on their band wagon of the 'Get-Rich-Quick-Or-Starve-On-Your-Own-Time' gravy express straight to hell!!!

You shoulda stuck with the good looking babe, you'd have a better attitude about now.
Chicago Pollock   
14 Nov 2010
Life / What do Poles want, what drives them...? [58]

We are more pious then most countries. Probably the most devout country in europe. I remember when I arrived in Poland 2 years ago (first time as an adult) The first thing I noticed travelling through the Polish country side was the packed church's. People were standing outside as there was no room and kneeling.

Maybe this is what makes Poland different? The authoritarianism of the Roman Catholic Church. Let's say if the Poles were Protestant they would be a lot like the Czechs. No?

When the Swedish invaded us they soon find out that the conquer the Poland is one thing. But ruling Poland is something much more complicated. They found the Polish completely unmanageable and has left our country with despair and contempt in their hearts.

I'm sure they managed to take a few Polish women with 'em.
Chicago Pollock   
14 Nov 2010
Life / I saw Polish nationalism today [249]

ok, people, I want to know why the most popular threads here are the ones where people throw sh*t in each others faces, and the ones that ask for intelligent exchange of information die down quickly.

And you wanna move to Poland? You'll never make it!
Chicago Pollock   
12 Nov 2010
UK, Ireland / Long-term impact of returning UK Poles to Poland [21]

How will returning UK Poles affect Poland? Well, how well do Poles integrate into English society? How well do the English accept the Polish immigrants?

Poles in UK and their future

Why the uk love poles... because we get married and have kids and......

New UK figures released by the ONS (Office for National Statistics) report that by the end of this year, pensioners will outnumber children for the first time (Daily Mail, 24th October 2007). Last year, 11.3 million drew a state pension compared with 11.5 million children under 16 years. By 2031 there will be 15 million pensioners even though the pension age will have increased to 66 for men and women after 2024. In comparison, the numbers of children will rise from 11.5 million to 13 million in 2031.

Similar situation is in the US - first the native citizen complain the immigrants "take their jobs" and when they start to leave, they change their minds because they cannot find a nativie citizen to do the same job for the same lousy money..
Chicago Pollock   
12 Nov 2010
Life / Is the word "Polack"rascist? [185]

1. Slang: Disparaging and Offensive (Random House Unabridged Dictionary)
2. Offensive Slang Used as a disparaging term for a person of Polish birth or descent (The American Heritage Dictionary)

Bunch of nonsense. You're getting your panties in a twist over nothing.
Chicago Pollock   
11 Nov 2010
News / Praising Poland can be dangerous [45]

Yes indeed. I wonder why we are so unimportant today? could it be because we got betrayed by our dear friends at yalta?

Poland was offered the Marshall Plan after the War. They rejected it. For some reason Poland didn't kick the Russians out of Poland after WWII like they did after WWI.
Chicago Pollock   
11 Nov 2010
Life / Class system in Poland - does it exist? [90]

Even though my dad has title of engineer and master, I don't consider him as an intelligent man.

If he's an engineer he's intelligent. That's a tough curriculum. You're confusing temperament with intelligence.
Chicago Pollock   
10 Nov 2010
News / Poles are getting rich... [63]

In fact, it would require even more loans.

@ zero percent, doesn't matter. It's free money.

- trim import from China and shift towards production at home
- refuse to buy anything from China until they stop keeping their currency artificially low

At the present time companies are sitting on trillions. They won't change until they change how they think. That will take a bit of time.

people here are getting rich as we speak too. Crisis or not there is always opportunity for many.

Yeah, in the stock market. Buy Ford.
Chicago Pollock   
10 Nov 2010
News / Poles are getting rich... [63]

Yeah, the infrastructure projects are fine although a hassle to drive around! But, you see even though the interest rates are low people are losing homes and a very few are buying! Why? Job insecurity. It is a great time for people who have a few dollars or a secure job (is there such thing now?).

Yes, I agree the housing crisis is due to lack of jobs. If we didn't have a knucklehead for a President he'd authorize infrastructure projects, rebuilding roads and bridges and rail lines. Those infrastructure projects would provide jobs to keep people in their homes and they would spend money which would create more jobs. But we have the knucklehead Democrats who want to get us out of our cars and into high speed trains and the knucklehead Republicans who want to restrict spending (not at a time like this).
Chicago Pollock   
10 Nov 2010
News / Poles are getting rich... [63]

True, but I've been through one of these before (mid '70s). And my parents been through the Great Depression.

Interest rates are now at about zero. Now's the time to spend government money on infrastructure projects. Not when interest rates are 10% or 15%. Don't believe the deficit blather. It matters...in the long run. Time is on our side.
Chicago Pollock   
10 Nov 2010
News / Poles are getting rich... [63]

So why is it accepted in America? When will people realize that we are half way there?

It's not accepted in America. Unfortunately, in the name of Free market ideology, we unloaded our manufacturing jobs to China, our service jobs to India and on top of this we allowed in tons of illegal mexicans solely to lower our standard of living. In time it'll change but in the meantime we need Government spending to keep people in their homes and off the street. Money has to circulate or you get a depression.
Chicago Pollock   
9 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Polack/American Polonia/Plastic Pole "culture" [568]

Unfortunately when Polanians vote in Polish elections they don't have to live with the consequences. But this is something that has Polish roots as historically Poles have been governed (ruled) by outsiders.

They are worse than 'plastic Poles' -- they are plastic people!

You're too hard on your own people (but than again this is a Polish trait also, isn't it?). The Poles have come out of foreign rule for about the last two hundred years. They need some time to re-develop. In America, ethnic Poles reach their full potential, especially after the first generation.
Chicago Pollock   
9 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]

Are there any indoor swimming pools in Poland? I fight the winter blahs by swimming. Works like a charm. When I'm in the pool I think I'm in the South Seas.

As for the cold. Well I make my living working outdoors and once you acclimatize it ain't bad. Also, proper clothing makes a difference. People who lived before central heating dressed for the seasons. Something we forget in modern times. Wool in the winter which stays warm even if it's wet.
Chicago Pollock   
6 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]

It just felt that way.

If it feels that way, it is that way.

In general the climate here, on both sides of the border, can be pretty crazy and the high humidity will at times add to the discomfort.

Called Lake effect. Are you leeward or windward of the lake? Leeward (Buffalo) lots of snow, windward (Chicago) not as much. But temps are reversed, Colder in Chicago (especially with the wind).

Regardless, in my 20 years here I haven't seen one single instance of grape growers heating their grapes any time of the year. Not once. And I drive by those fields almost every day.

Southeast Ontario??? But in the fruit growing sections of the States they use smudge pots in the Spring and Autumn.

this thread is not edited, since the editing time is 15 minutes on PF and I don't like to edited stuff since it looses some of its freshness. I am aware of grammar and spelling mistakes on this thread, but I will not change anything at this point. Later on I might put this on a blog and then I will take my time to edit it.[/b]

thanks for reading:)

We know...thanks for writing.
Chicago Pollock   
5 Nov 2010
USA, Canada / Moved back from Canada to Poland:). Here are the reasons why. [868]

:
but I have to admit that the Canadian winter got to me over the years. Of course Polish weather is no better, but at least there won't be -30 C for 3 months

if you don't mind me asking, where in Canada is it minus 30 for 3 months.

For one thing he is at home. Can't beat that.

"she" not "he"

Just curious, but do you travel back to Poland often? If so, what are your observations?
Chicago Pollock   
4 Nov 2010
History / POLISH IDENTITY-shift from communism to democracy [28]

The People (us) our votes are irrelevant. Democracy or rather the illusion of it is the best form of dictatorship, because people believe their voice count.

This thinking is a good example why Poland has been dominated by it's neighbors for the past two hundred years.