Wednesday, April 28, 2010
hp 30b?
Any of my hp calculator followers know anything about the 30b? When will it be available?...
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
with the fifth pick of the 2010 nfl draft...
OK, here goes. I generally don't care much what happens on draft day. Usually, my team drafts some guy from LSU who never lives up to his potential. This year, they probably won't follow my advice either. But, here it goes anyway. I'll give you my 15 reasons first, then the advice.
1. Carson Palmer
2. Charles Rogers
3. Andre Johnson
4. Dewayne Robertson
5. Terence Newman
6. Johnathan Sullivan
7. Byron Leftwich
8. Jordan Gross
9. Kevin Williams
10. Terrell Suggs
11. Marcus Trufant
12. Jimmy Kennedy
13. Ty Warren
14. Michael Haynes
15. Jerome McDougle
Every one of these men was drafted ahead of Troy Polamalu in the 2003 NFL draft. And, somewhat parenthetically, that 16th pick of 2003 could have belonged to the Kansas City Chiefs--my team.
This year, a safety, Tennessee's Eric Berry, is legitimately one of the top prospects entering the League. He'll still be on the board at 5 when the Chiefs pick.
Attention Mr. Pioli: Please draft Berry. If you do, you'll be taking a risk but the potential reward is so worth it. If you don't, Berry will probably have an amazing career in Cleveland. I hate orange.
1. Carson Palmer
2. Charles Rogers
3. Andre Johnson
4. Dewayne Robertson
5. Terence Newman
6. Johnathan Sullivan
7. Byron Leftwich
8. Jordan Gross
9. Kevin Williams
10. Terrell Suggs
11. Marcus Trufant
12. Jimmy Kennedy
13. Ty Warren
14. Michael Haynes
15. Jerome McDougle
Every one of these men was drafted ahead of Troy Polamalu in the 2003 NFL draft. And, somewhat parenthetically, that 16th pick of 2003 could have belonged to the Kansas City Chiefs--my team.
This year, a safety, Tennessee's Eric Berry, is legitimately one of the top prospects entering the League. He'll still be on the board at 5 when the Chiefs pick.
Attention Mr. Pioli: Please draft Berry. If you do, you'll be taking a risk but the potential reward is so worth it. If you don't, Berry will probably have an amazing career in Cleveland. I hate orange.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
savers 38c
We recently went to Savers to occupy the family for an hour or so.
Of course any good hp collector goes to thrift shops. The good ones have products sorted on the shelves. Sometimes, tucked somewhere in between the 83 SLR cameras and the 7 glasses that have the Schlitz logo on the side is a small collection of office stuff. Usually, there are a couple of calculators--the freebies originally distributed at conferences or whatever. On occasion, you will find an old hp--probably discarded by a family member of the original owner or someone else who doesn't realize the value--placed on the shelf by a worker who simply can't get it to come on so they stick $3 on it and it's done.
This was one just such occasion. I picked up a 38c financial from 1982 at Savers for $2.99. Unfortunately, there was no adapter and the battery pack is corroded. I'll eventually build a replacement battery pack. But, what a find. These places sell beat-up old TI's with little value for $19.99.
Now, I have to start going to thrift shops more frequently.
Cleaned up and working, this calculator would probably auction for $40's or $50's. But I don't sell hp calculators. Nope, when I'm gone, I expect someone to take my old hp's and drop them off at Savers so they can get 25% off that darling sweater and some other geek can come along and buy them at pennies to the dollar what they are really worth. Then, said geek can calculate his or her savings with a good old 38c financial. It's sort of a geek bequeathing system that uses unsuspecting thrift shops.
Funny story: While still at Savers, I used my mobile to check ebay to see if it had any 38c's for auction. I should have searched for 'hp 38c' instead of just '38c'. I didn't even realize until I saw the search results--pages and pages of bras.
Of course any good hp collector goes to thrift shops. The good ones have products sorted on the shelves. Sometimes, tucked somewhere in between the 83 SLR cameras and the 7 glasses that have the Schlitz logo on the side is a small collection of office stuff. Usually, there are a couple of calculators--the freebies originally distributed at conferences or whatever. On occasion, you will find an old hp--probably discarded by a family member of the original owner or someone else who doesn't realize the value--placed on the shelf by a worker who simply can't get it to come on so they stick $3 on it and it's done.
This was one just such occasion. I picked up a 38c financial from 1982 at Savers for $2.99. Unfortunately, there was no adapter and the battery pack is corroded. I'll eventually build a replacement battery pack. But, what a find. These places sell beat-up old TI's with little value for $19.99.
Now, I have to start going to thrift shops more frequently.
Cleaned up and working, this calculator would probably auction for $40's or $50's. But I don't sell hp calculators. Nope, when I'm gone, I expect someone to take my old hp's and drop them off at Savers so they can get 25% off that darling sweater and some other geek can come along and buy them at pennies to the dollar what they are really worth. Then, said geek can calculate his or her savings with a good old 38c financial. It's sort of a geek bequeathing system that uses unsuspecting thrift shops.
Funny story: While still at Savers, I used my mobile to check ebay to see if it had any 38c's for auction. I should have searched for 'hp 38c' instead of just '38c'. I didn't even realize until I saw the search results--pages and pages of bras.
Monday, April 5, 2010
it's finally here
Kansas City
Opening day, 2010
Baseball’s opening day started for me at Royals Stadium in late April of 1995. It was at the end of the baseball labor strike. We’d lost the 1994 World Series. And by ‘we,’ I mean all baseball fans. In fact, 1994 was so bad that, in some ways, the sport has never recovered. Some fans never returned to baseball. I did. Big time.
For me it meant that tickets (free tickets from a vendor, in fact) were easy to come by in 1995. It was an easy entry for me into the tradition of opening day in Kansas City.
I love opening day. I’ve been with big groups. I’ve been by myself. I’ve been with good friends. I’ve been there with my wife. I’ve been there with one group when my wife was there with another group. I’ve been there when my wife was down on the field pre-game (for a special event—the introduction of Sluggerrr—1996 I think). I’ve been there when it was cold (15 degrees in 1997 I think) and hot (80 degrees today). I’ve sat in the snow, sun, rain, clouds… I’ve never been disappointed on opening day.
Except 2006. I watched the 2006 game on TV. I just couldn’t get a ticket. I’m still kicking myself for not getting some cash and going out there to buy a scalper ticket. I did go to game #2 that year—it’s just not the same. But now I have to say that I’ve been to 15 out of 16 consecutive opening day games—not 16 in a row.
Opening day tickets are harder to come by every year. They are worth it.
On opening day your team is in 1st place. Opening day beer tastes better. Opening day weather is fabulous. Opening day concessions don’t seem as expensive. Opening day has the best pitching matchups. Opening day at the ballpark beats the very best day at the office by about four quadrillion to one. Opening day requires keeping score.
Three and a half more hours. I can’t wait. 15 out of 16 consecutive opening days is pretty good, right? Man!
Go ROYALS!
Opening day, 2010
Baseball’s opening day started for me at Royals Stadium in late April of 1995. It was at the end of the baseball labor strike. We’d lost the 1994 World Series. And by ‘we,’ I mean all baseball fans. In fact, 1994 was so bad that, in some ways, the sport has never recovered. Some fans never returned to baseball. I did. Big time.
For me it meant that tickets (free tickets from a vendor, in fact) were easy to come by in 1995. It was an easy entry for me into the tradition of opening day in Kansas City.
I love opening day. I’ve been with big groups. I’ve been by myself. I’ve been with good friends. I’ve been there with my wife. I’ve been there with one group when my wife was there with another group. I’ve been there when my wife was down on the field pre-game (for a special event—the introduction of Sluggerrr—1996 I think). I’ve been there when it was cold (15 degrees in 1997 I think) and hot (80 degrees today). I’ve sat in the snow, sun, rain, clouds… I’ve never been disappointed on opening day.
Except 2006. I watched the 2006 game on TV. I just couldn’t get a ticket. I’m still kicking myself for not getting some cash and going out there to buy a scalper ticket. I did go to game #2 that year—it’s just not the same. But now I have to say that I’ve been to 15 out of 16 consecutive opening day games—not 16 in a row.
Opening day tickets are harder to come by every year. They are worth it.
On opening day your team is in 1st place. Opening day beer tastes better. Opening day weather is fabulous. Opening day concessions don’t seem as expensive. Opening day has the best pitching matchups. Opening day at the ballpark beats the very best day at the office by about four quadrillion to one. Opening day requires keeping score.
Three and a half more hours. I can’t wait. 15 out of 16 consecutive opening days is pretty good, right? Man!
Go ROYALS!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
wrong is wrong
OK, so I'm assuming everyone knows about Fred Phelps, Westboro Baptist, the marine's dad and Bill O'Reilly so that I don't have to link to the news. If you're not, there's Google.
What really amazes me about nut jobs: they stand behind freedom of speech to defend something that (I agree) they have a right to say but should not say it anyway because it is not right to do so.
It is never right to do what Phelps & co. are doing at the funerals of fallen U.S. soldiers. Having a right to do something does not make it right to do it.
The first amendment may protect Phelps' right. However, IMHO, he is violating the Lord's 2nd greatest commandment--to love others. Jesus' 2nd greatest commandment always trumps any man-made law.
Sadly, the fallen soldier would defend Phelps' 1st amendment right to the death.
Fred Phelps does not speak for me. He does not speak for Kansans. He does not speak for Christians. He does not speak for Americans. I wish he would not speak.
It's time for the rest of us to speak up. I'm so thankful for my country that I'm blessed to live in. I'm eternally grateful for the thousands of United States marines and soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for my rights. I am proud to be American. We have the greatest country on the face of the earth. If Phelps lived anywhere else, he'd have already lost his freedoms. Instead, a United States marine gave his life for Fred Phelps.
What really amazes me about nut jobs: they stand behind freedom of speech to defend something that (I agree) they have a right to say but should not say it anyway because it is not right to do so.
It is never right to do what Phelps & co. are doing at the funerals of fallen U.S. soldiers. Having a right to do something does not make it right to do it.
The first amendment may protect Phelps' right. However, IMHO, he is violating the Lord's 2nd greatest commandment--to love others. Jesus' 2nd greatest commandment always trumps any man-made law.
Sadly, the fallen soldier would defend Phelps' 1st amendment right to the death.
Fred Phelps does not speak for me. He does not speak for Kansans. He does not speak for Christians. He does not speak for Americans. I wish he would not speak.
It's time for the rest of us to speak up. I'm so thankful for my country that I'm blessed to live in. I'm eternally grateful for the thousands of United States marines and soldiers who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for my rights. I am proud to be American. We have the greatest country on the face of the earth. If Phelps lived anywhere else, he'd have already lost his freedoms. Instead, a United States marine gave his life for Fred Phelps.
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