hp calculators and spaghetti sandwiches

15c is coming

2011-09-12T22:15:00.005-05:00

Boy, I really dropped the ball on this one. I didn't even know it was in the works.

However, I am looking forward to owning a new 15c. And I do plan to own one of these. When that happens, I'll pick up the ball and post a review here on the blog.

trillion dollar coins

2011-07-28T12:34:00.004-05:00

The debate about the national debt continues. One commentator suggests the possibility of minting two trillion dollar coins. (Sad commentary that one trillion dollar coin might not be enough.)

Of course my initial thought was, please mint three trillion dollar coins and send one my way. But the federal government doesn't really know me (of course, I send them a little coin every year). So, give each American one of those trillion dollar coins. That wouldn't work either. By Friday, the cost of a gallon of gasoline would be about half a trillion.

The good news is that I actually do have something worth more than a trillion US$. You can have it, too. It is completely free to you and me but there are a couple of qualifying conditions you have to satisfy (Romans 10:9):

1. Confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, the Son of the living God.
2. Believe with your heart in the power of His resurrection.

The gift of the Holy Spirit is the most valuable thing anyone can receive. It overcomes the economy problems of this world.

It's free. Take it. The immense value will blow you away and it is yours if you accept the gift.

perfect harmony

2010-11-30T16:37:00.003-06:00

Today's scripture reading took me through the middle of the book of Zechariah. If you don't know Zechariah, well it's filled with some pretty heavy Revelation-like stuff. Of course, John's Revelation reveals the Christ to us. So does Zechariah's revelation.

One passage that really stuck out to me was 6:12-13. "Here is the man called the Branch. He will branch out from where he is and build the Temple of the Lord. Then he will receive royal honor and will rule as king from his throne. He will also serve as priest from his throne, and there will be perfect harmony between his two roles." (NLT)

Immediately, I thought of Peter's Pentecost preaching. He hit 'em hard I tell ya. One of the first scriptures I ever memorized (from the KJV) was Acts 2:36. "God hath made this same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ." If ye hath the ability to continue to stick with me, I'll get to my point--and not with 1611 English, either.

All of scripture points to Jesus. All of Heaven points to Jesus. All of nature points to Jesus. This "man" serves two roles. When we give our lives to Jesus, we make Him Lord of our lives where He reigns as king. When we acknowledge His death-busting been-resurrected-by-God power over sin, we allow Him to minister to us as priest and be our Messiah (our Christ). Who else could fill both roles? King and priest. Lord and Christ. Man and God. A priest walks around in the presence of His people--so does a Messiah--so does a Christ. A king reigns sovreignly--so does a Lord--so does a God.

If you want to be served by the King of Kings, make Jesus the spiritual source for your life. If you want to be ruled over by a compassionate and loving priest, submit to Jesus as king over your life.

This priest/king combination (check out Hebrews 5, Melchizedek) was appointed by God to both roles--in perfect harmony--for you.

rebuilt the battery pack

2010-10-14T19:23:00.001-05:00

I rebuilt the battery pack for my Savers 38c. It works! A 30-year old calculator that hasn't worked in years works perfectly.

every hp calculator ever made

2010-09-09T12:01:00.003-05:00

So I just got the new HP Solve newsletter in my inbox.

It contains their listing of all hp calculators ever made. Very cool. Check it out.

crossing over to the dark side

2010-09-03T22:42:00.004-05:00

I never thought it would happen. However, I have recently been using a TI 83-Plus. Having used hp calculators almost exclusively for 21 years--well, it's been an acquired taste that I've had to learn to like. And, you know, I think I'm liking it.

For most of my career I've taught college math classes as an adjunct instructor. In fact, I've now worked at 6 different Kansas City area colleges. I usually don't require a particular calculator but this semester, my department at the school where I teach requires my students to have a TI-83 or TI-84 calculator.

So, I've been teaching myself to use one. I like it. It's a little bit easier to use than my old hp 48G. It has some really cool features (table). But I do miss RPN. Hmmm, I wonder if the TI will integrate or differentiate a function like the 48G does.

Meanwhile, I'm not going to leave hp for ti. However, I might flirt with her a little bit.

Pssst: hp calculators are 15% off right now with free shipping from the hp store.

hp calculators and holiday weekends

2010-05-28T12:46:00.003-05:00

I've observed before that hp puts calculators (and lots of other products) on sale over holiday weekends. This is one of those. Now is a good time to buy a calculator from the hp store with practically all of their home and office calculators, almost all of their graphing and scientific calculators (except 50g) and the 10bII and 17bII+ financials at 15% off with free shipping.

I also noticed that you can now pre-order the 30b for $49.99. I don't know when it will ship.

That's it. Enjoy your Memorial Day. I will be grilling.

hp 30b?

2010-04-28T17:08:00.001-05:00

Any of my hp calculator followers know anything about the 30b? When will it be available?...

with the fifth pick of the 2010 nfl draft...

2010-04-20T12:49:00.004-05:00

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.

savers 38c

2010-04-08T12:02:00.006-05:00

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.

it's finally here

2010-04-05T11:31:00.000-05:00

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!

wrong is wrong

2010-04-01T16:28:00.002-05:00

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.

good enough for dave ramsey

2009-10-20T20:45:00.002-05:00

My wife and I are going through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University class right now through our church small group. We're just a few weeks in, but it has been very good for us so far.

I noticed during the 'Buyer Beware' lesson video (week 5 I think), Dave pulled his calculator off the lectern in order to calculate what some investment of your daily coffee money or something would pay off in 79 years of earning 12% interest. Whether or not his methods appeal to you, you have to love this about him: he uses a 12c. Of course, Dave was a real estate professional. The hp 12c was THE must have calculator for real estate folks.

I keep a 12c in my desk. I use it for balancing the checkbook, doing taxes, etc. It is the financial calculator for me.

I'm jazzed now that I know Dave is an hp guy. I did notice, though, that in spite of having multiple billions of dollars of coffee money he has stored away in mutual funds, he's still using his old gold 12c and not a new 12c platinum. Calculate like no one else so you can calculate like no one else.

calculator apps for your computer

2009-10-05T14:27:00.004-05:00

I told you a couple of post backs about the hp apps for iPhone and iPod Touch. They are also selling apps for your computer (Windows).

You can get the 35s (my favorite of the current scientifics) or your choice of one of these three financials: 20b, 12c or 12c Platinum.

If you're a PC and an hp, you'll want all 4 of these. Check 'em out here.

made the right choice

2009-09-29T12:38:00.002-05:00

As my undergraduate education was coming to a close, I decided to pursue a master's degree in mathematics on a teaching assistantship. After interviewing and applying with a few schools, I received offers from two universities.

Texas A&M offered me a pretty good offer. The University of Arkansas made an offer that was almost as good as that. The third school I was most interested in (Rice) did not make me an offer. So, basically, my choice came down to A&M or Arkansas. It was a very difficult choice.

Exacerbating the problem was the fact that my girlfriend would still be in school at Harding in Searcy, Ark. for one more year. At the time, Searcy was about 10 or 11 hours from College Station, TX and only about three hours from Fayetteville, Ark.

In my mind, the choice was 50/50. Pick one school much closer to my girlfriend or the other school with the better offer. I picked Arkansas. This led to weekend trips between Searcy and Fayetteville, a fall engagement, a May wedding, 20 years (and still counting) of marriage to my girlfriend and one beautiful daughter.

This weekend as Texas A&M and Arkansas (6:30 Saturday on ESPN2) renew their rivalry for the first time since their Southwest Conference days, GO HOGS!

aussome football

2009-09-25T13:12:00.003-05:00

I was a freshman in college in 1984-5. That year was the year they installed cable TV in the dorms. The women's dorms, that is. We guys had to wait until the fall of 1985 to watch cable.

College guys and cable TV seemed like a perfect partnership in 1985. ESPN was relatively new and getting established. At that time, Australian rules football was a staple in ESPN's programming. In the guys' dorms, we watched a lot of Aussie rules. It was one of my favorite sports.

Still is. Thing is, we haven't much watched Aussie rules since then. Nope, ESPN has become the world leader in sports and some of the enjoyable programming they had in the early days had to go away to make room for American football and baseball and...

Tonight, ESPN Classic will broadcast the Aussie rules championship at 11:30 CDT. I'm really looking forward to it.

It's ironic that the sport that filled so many hours back in the "classic" days of ESPN will air live tonight on ESPN's Classic channel.

hp calculators as iPhone and iTouch apps

2009-09-16T17:56:00.003-05:00

Did you know that hp sells their calculators as apps?

I'm not an iAnything user, but if you are, you can get the 12c, 12c Platinum and the 15c (that's the one I'd want) for your iPhone.

Just search for hewlett packard in the app store.

Thank me later.

phinedroids and ferbots

2009-09-14T17:14:00.002-05:00

It's amazing how having a 6-year old in the house changes your entertainment options. DVR doesn't help. The Disney Channel doesn't help very much either. What I have noticed is that I now spend an inordinate amount of time watching Phineas and Ferb.

Three months ago, I'd never even heard of Phineas and Ferb. Two months from now, we'll probably be past it. But for the moment, we watch a lot of P&F.

Now, the question is, how can the 6-year old and I get her mother (mrs. kcrazorback) to stop making us watch that show so often? She's addicted.

eternally optimistic

2009-09-08T10:15:00.002-05:00

Generally speaking, I'm an optimist. I believe that if the final out of the baseball game hasn't yet been made, my team can still win--even if they are down by a bunch of runs. I believe that if the team hasn't been eliminated from playoff contention yet, they still have a chance--like the Kansas City Royals, who are 23.5 games back in the AL Central right now.

As the inevitable fall approaches, however, optimism gives way to pragmatism. In fact, I become so pragmatic that each September (or even late August), I keep a spreadsheet that forecasts when my team will be eliminated from the playoffs that year. This year, the earliest possible date that the Royals can be eliminated from playoff contention is, drumroll(?), TODAY. In fact, if Detroit, Minnesota and Chicago all win their respective games, the Royals will be done. The most likely date of elimination is tomorrow (09/09/09). Regardless, my pragmatism forces me to accept the outcome and defeats my optimism today. Yes, you can say I was stupid for sticking with the team to the very end.

The worst part is now we have to start rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs. As baseball season turns into football season, my pragmatism becomes depression. I am already longing for baseball spring training when I can be optimistic again.

Wait a second, if Detroit can lose all of their remaining games except one to Minnesota and then Minnesota can lose all of their remaining games except five to Chicago and then Chicago loses all of their remaining games and, of course, Cleveland would have to lose almost all of their remaining games, the Royals could still win the division. Optimism springs eternal!!! (for a few hours)

needing mercy, showing mercy

2009-08-25T12:03:00.002-05:00

I recently had an interesting conversation with someone from my church. Before I had said much more than "Hi," he put up a defensive wall. As I laid the foundation for what I would ask him, he argued with me. When I asked him for his help, he turned me down.

Near the beginning of that conversation, I found myself also defending my statements. But rather than continue to argue (my typical response), I picked up on the fact that something else was going on with this person and I changed my tactics to simply being nice and allowing for future conversations.

Something else was going on. I still don't know what. But I have realized that Mr. X does not oppose me or the work we are doing. Satan does oppose me and the work we're doing.

We must resist Satan with full force. We must also be gracious and show mercy to each other with full force. It's what Christ modeled for us (no one ever before of since or into eternity has or will show mercy with as much force as He did at the cross). It's what I need.

first day of first grade

2009-08-19T09:40:00.002-05:00

The start of school is a magical time.

Children, who have been conditioned for three months to do whatever they want to do, are being returned to a disciplined academic environment.

Kcrazorback daughter, who really loves school, is not happy about this at all. Her classmates are not happy about this at all. Her mother and I are thrilled.

This morning, as I dropped her off at school, we yelled at the poor kindergarten parents (they're the ones holding up the dropoff traffic) to get a move on, "turn your car already."

I've realized that the 1st graders have a BMOC factor. They were in the school last year for kindergarten. They know their way around. They know each other and the teachers (for the most part). They are bigger than a whole bunch of the new students in the school. They know what not to eat in the cafeteria. They're savvy. They're a little suprised by the lack of play centers in the classroom (compared to K-garten) but they know a boatload of potty jokes and can discuss what's going on with the big-kid Disney TV. They are in their element.

From the 1st day: "All we did was go over the rules and color some sheets." Yeah, somehow, I think you're holding something back from dear old dad. Perhaps, they know what not to tell Mom and Dad about as well.

still clunking--no cash

2009-07-31T14:18:00.002-05:00

Mrs. kcrazorback drives a clunker. It would have been eligible for the $4,500 rebate. And it is not worth $4,500 on the market. But, alas, it's worth that much to us. We were seriously tempted, however, to trade that sucker in earlier this week.

We already had one economical non-clunker. But I like having one clunker, too. It's not "green" but it fits our lifestyle really well.

In the words of Lacie (a family friend and 5 year old), don't get all up in my business.

update on 10s

2009-07-29T15:41:00.003-05:00

I told you in this earlier post about the new models I picked up over the holidays. Here's a quick update on the 10s.

The 10s was a low price (I paid $7.99) basic scientific that I was very excited about. I'm not so excited any more. In spite of the fact that it's only a few months old, many of the LCD segments don't work. I'm ready to dismantle/destroy this one. Unfortunately, sometimes you don't even get what you pay for when what you pay is not very much.

Upon further review, I guess I should stick with the more expensive calculators. Say no to the 10s.

I have no complaints about the 35s I got at the same time.

they make me feel young

2009-07-28T13:52:00.002-05:00

As I've gotten older, I'm noticing it more. Example: my arm aches quite a bit of the time. In fact, I described it to my doctor as it felt like what I imagine it would feel like if I'd pitched a Major League Baseball game the day before.

Jamie Moyer did pitch a MLB game yesterday. In fact, he won. Something he's done ten times this season--and six of his last seven starts have been wins. Moyer has 92 wins since he turned 40. He is now 46.

Tim Wakefield is my age (well, 2 1/2 months younger--he's 42). He is 11-3 this year and was an American League All Star.

Way to go old guys.

layoffs hurt families, some advice for all of us

2009-06-19T09:16:00.004-05:00

Praise God that I've survived several layoffs at my workplace. I'm not immune. But, my cubicle is now adjacent to others where good friends (co-workers) used to sit every day. Other friends from church or whereever have also lost their jobs.

The KC job market is slightly more resilient than other places in the country. So, some of those folks have gotten other jobs already. However, it is a struggle for most.

In the end, it seems that most all of my friends will be fine. However, their families are hurting. Also, the families of those who have not been laid off are hurting as well.

While not equating the difficulties associated with losing your job with the difficulties associated with remaining behind, I am saying their is a cost for all of us.

Our families struggle with the additional time that we're putting in at work now. They have emotional distress due to the fact that, potentially, it could happen to us as well. While that was always true, now it is in the forefront of our minds. They also struggle with a greatly increased difficulty in making day-to-day decisions about spending or summer camp tuition or...

What we have to remember: God reigns supreme. In times of plenty, God reigns supreme. In times of want, God reigns supreme. Trust Him.

Ecclesiastes 7:14 (New Living Translation)

14 Enjoy prosperity while you can, but when hard times strike, realize that both come from God. Remember that nothing is certain in this life.

It's not that God wants you to have hard times. No. God wants you--irrespective of whether times are hard or not. In prosperity, choose God. In hard times, choose God. Regardless, choose God.

back blogging again

2009-06-12T09:29:00.003-05:00

I'd like to be the first to welcome me back. OK, so I'm going to resume blogging now. I'd like to ask both of you to forgive me--I kind of got too busy at work the last few months to blog frequently. Still busy, but I'll try to fit in blogging.

The College World Series starts tomorrow in Omaha, NE. The first game is at 1:00 CDT and features the University of Arkansas Razorbacks and the Cal St-Fullerton Titans.

Go HOGS! Bring home a championship.

I noticed the other day that the Kansas City Royals have drafted the Arkansas 2nd baseman and shortstop. Just a dream here, but if they can develop those guys together, who knows, sosmeday you may see an all Hog double play in The K.

Interesting note: The current major leaguer that is probably the best Hog in the bigs is Cleveland Indians pitcher and Cy Young award winner Cliff Lee.

OK, so, watch the CWS on ESPN. Root for the Hogs. Good things will happen. Now, how can I convince Susan to let me go to Omaha for a few days?

happy 20th anniversary to us

2009-05-06T11:03:00.002-05:00

Today is our 20th wedding anniversary. Whether rich or poor, in sickness and health...blah blah blah blah, I will always know that I lucked out and married the best wife ever. She is the perfect complement to me. She is strong where I am weak. She makes me happy all day every day. I love her. Happy anniversary.

happy birthday kcrazorback daughter

2009-05-01T09:23:00.001-05:00

This picture was taken a few years ago. I love your face.

turn the tv back on, but why?

2009-04-28T11:34:00.002-05:00

Sunday night at midnight passed. Kcrazorback daughter was fast asleep--having successfully not watched any TV, or played any video or computer games for an entire week. For this heroic accomplishment, she gets the latest Littlest Pet Shop stuff from mom and dad and a book and an IHOP gift certificate from the school.

Her dedication was incredible. It suprised even those of us who really believe in her and know best what she is capable of. She's a great kid.

Mrs. kcrazorback and I also enjoyed having the TV off every day (although we did sneak in some The Office after junior went to sleep at night).

I'd even say we're enjoying watching her watch the occasional program now that Turn Your TV Off Week is over--knowing that she's not really addicted to it.

earthy

2009-04-22T11:56:00.001-05:00

Today is Earth Day! Go green. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.

ode to no. 5

2009-04-15T12:55:00.002-05:00

You already know that one of the best to ever play the game played in Kansas City and wore #5. But George Brett wasn't the only guy.

All 30 MLB teams have retired his #42. But when he played at the highest level in Kansas City, Jackie Robinson wore #5 for the Monarchs.

Today is Jackie Robinson day--players throughout MLB will wear #42 in games today. To educate yourself about the Negro Leagues, start here. The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is a local and national treasure.

Never segregate to play.

march for babies

2009-04-14T10:36:00.003-05:00

Please consider giving to the March of Dimes.

OK, now that you've considered it, go ahead and give.

You can give here.

sorry

2009-04-02T14:55:00.002-05:00

I've gone quiet for a while. (Lucky you.) Anyway, the last couple of weeks haven't been much fun. I'll resume posting some time soon. Although I am thinking about abandoning blogging for Twitter.

happy st. patrick's day

2009-03-17T09:24:00.003-05:00

Top o' the mornin' to ya. HAPPY ST. PATTY'S!

I'll take a short break from the wedding stories to wish you a happy St. Patrick's day.

To my siblings and their families: did you know that we are Irish? We really are. At least I think we are. I know that my brother and I both remember "Granny Fanny" (I remember her quite fondly) who died when we were about four years old. She was our great-grandmother--our paternal grandmother's mother. She was born Rebecca Frances McClennahan, daughter of Bevely Harrison McClennahan who was the son of Beverly McClennahan.

I believe that McClennahan is more commonly spelled McClenahan and is the Irish derivative of the Scottish McClanahan. The extra n may have been an Americanization.

Clearly, I know little about genealogy except that I'm Irish. I think I'll head to the pub for a Guinness. Oh, it's almost 10:00 AM. I'm late.

listening, number 2

2009-03-12T16:56:00.002-05:00

I told you in an earlier post about my listening skills and how they've been developed over the years out of necessity. I didn't start so attentive, though.

In fact, when the future Mrs. kcrazorback and I were dating, we were at a Christian college with an 11 PM curfew in the dorms. So, she'd frequently call me after 11. Then she'd start talking.

After handset-to-ear fatigue became just too unbearable, I would pass the phone off to my roommate Dan. The two of them would have many long (mostly) one-sided conversations late at night.

I am extremely grateful for Dan's sharing of the burden. And I like to think he enjoyed the conversations--they gave him something to do while he chilled to his favorite Pink Floyd album almost loud enough to not hear the phone--hey, I think I know how he survived the calls.

hoops

2009-03-09T18:05:00.002-05:00

Yeah, it's college basketball tournament time. KC is a great place to live during the tournaments. It seems like there's always something going on. The NAIA tournament, for example, plays about 713 games in a weekend in Municipal Auditorium. It's fun.

Kcrazorback, of course, is a hoops fan. He liked to play, too. He wasn't very good, but that's not the point.

We decided to take all of our wedding pictures before the ceremony. Good idea. Of course, the groom is involved in roughly 8% of those photos.

Finding a little extra time and a gymnasium next door, I decided to shoot hoops for a while. The tux made it a little difficult but I persevered. Of course, the photographer hunted me down and took a couple of shots (pictures, not baskets). I'm pretty sure we did not buy the photographic evidence that I was thinking of anything other than my young bride.

spaghetti wars

2009-03-05T11:11:00.002-06:00

For more insight into how we cook, check out one of my earliest blog posts. Enjoy.

fish stir fry? nah, how about mr. burger

2009-03-04T13:09:00.004-06:00

A couple of months before the wedding, future-wife decided to try to prepare a dinner for me. She shopped for groceries at Food-4-Less. She decided on a fish and vegetable stir fry dinner. She cooked.

It was awful. I mean it was really bad. Even she thought it was bad. It was so bad that we threw it all out and went to Mr. Burger.

If I was going to marry the young lady, it would not be for her cooking. I did. It wasn't. It's been wonderful.

Mrs. kcrazorback is actually a pretty decent cook today. However, it is way down on the list of things she does well. I still wouldn't marry her for her cooking, though. Fortunately, all the other stuff is even better today.

the counseling must have worked

2009-03-02T08:47:00.003-06:00

Disclaimer: I believe all young couples should get premarital counseling--especially if it is consistent with their faith and if it will equip them with the tools they need to survive the difficulties of married life.

That was NOT our experience. Counseling was one of the worst experiences of our lives. Counseling, for us, was an excruciating experience where a university counselor/psychological quack tried to destroy our relationship.

The man started out by trying to attack and destroy one of us while being buddy-buddy with the other. This approach might have worked. However, the guy made a very wrong choice in which of the engaged to attack. You see, my soon-to-be bride had the stronger character. She was capable of withstanding the attack.

This experience made us both angry for a time. It's a big part of the reason I've never been charitably inclined toward my alma mater. I probably won't push my kid to go there and I really want her to have a high-quality Christian education--yes, this happened at a fantastic Christian university.

Ironically, his chief point of argument with me was "You won't make it 20 years." Maybe he was right. But we don't have to make it 20 years--just another two months. I've been with her for 20 years because she's the love of my life and I adore her now more than ever. If we happen to prove one quack wrong along the way, fine. He'll never even know anyway.

If, perhaps, the man had uttered one encouraging word or given us at least one tool with which to develop a marriage relationship it might have been so much more beneficial to all parties involved.

facing the music

2009-03-01T21:04:00.002-06:00

Mrs. kcrazorback and I are two months shy of our 20th anniversary. So I'm blogging lots of stories related to those 20 years in this space between now and then. Keep reading.

Facing the audience: in a fit of premarital insanity, bride and groom decided to face the audience the whole ceremony. I guess we'd been to enough weddings where you show up, look at the backs of the people you came to see and then go home.

What we learned is they do that for a reason. Or maybe several. Anyway, I have mine.

Never combine these three ingredients: standing facing the audience, uncomfortable shoes and a preacher that will talk for a very long time. This perfect storm occurred at our wedding.

The length of the wedding sermon is worthy of its own blog post and I may get to that, but I'll just say it was way longer than necessary. However, it did accomplish its purpose and we were married by the end.

If we ever repeat our vows in front of an audience, I'll want to see you but I can't face you.

dad and the mav

2009-02-27T09:18:00.003-06:00

In an earlier post--enough sources of stress already--I told you a little bit about my dad and the 1976 Ford Maverick he owned.

Before going away to college in 1984, I bought the car from him. My friends knew it as "the Mav." The Mav developed a reputation as a dating machine. I don't know how that happened.

Fast forward to the wedding in 1989. My betrothed drove her Pontiac Grand Am to the wedding. I drove the Mav. During the reception my lame groomsmen and Aunt Gloria decorated BOTH cars--not knowing which one we'd drive away in. Of course, we took the nicer car, the Grand Am.

That left the Mav at Carmichael Community Center covered in shaving cream, just married signs, tin cans tied on--you get the picture. So, the story goes, that my dad started driving across town to find a carwash. I think he got more attention during that one drive by himself than he had en route to his own honeymoon. Thanks dad.

The Mav died in 1990 and we sold it for scrap. If I'd been a little more car-savvy, I probably could have fixed it up. But who knows what it would have cost in the long run so I don't feel too bad about letting it go.

two amazing women

2009-02-26T10:52:00.003-06:00

My grandmother was about 75 years old at the time--with another couple of decades yet to go. But at that point, she'd already lived an amazing life. My girlfriend was about 20, but the same thing could be said about having lived an amazing life to that point.

Grandmother had been a math and physics double-major on a basketball scholarship at Arkansas Tech in the early 1930's. Girlfriend had served an internship at the Smithsonian Institution's Museum of Natural History scraping squirrel skulls.

Grandmother had raised five children in post-Great Depression SW Arkansas. Girlfriend had travelled and lived in many parts of the US and Europe already.

The two made a connection when girlfriend drove (alone) the two hours to Arkadelphia to spend a weekend with grandmother. While she was there, she interviewed her for a paper she was writing in one of her communications classes. She wrote a fantastic paper that chronicled part of the life of one amazing woman who had done so much.

I had always been attracted to this woman and from the very beginning knew that she was the one for me. But that weekend was the point at which I knew that she would be my wife. The respect that she showed my grandmother really humbled me.

Eventually, one very amazing woman became another amazing woman's first grandchild-in-law.

I still look for that paper every now and then.

with that halo he must be an angel

2009-02-25T08:31:00.002-06:00

The college baseball season just started which reminds me of my wedding day.

One week before I got married I spent the entire day outside. The day began with the annual Red-White intra-squad scrimmage football game at Razorback Stadium. Being the only football game of any kind in Arkansas from November to August it is usually well-attended. I was there in 1989. Following the football game, most of the spectators walked the two blocks to the baseball stadium for a double-header between Arkansas and SWC rival Texas. I watched all three games from the opening kickoff to the final out. Sitting in the bleachers watching sports for eight hours gave me a really dark tan.

One day before getting married I got a haircut--a short one. Of course the skin under the hair that had been trimmed was lily white giving my head a sort-of halo appearance. As the 20-year old videotape degrades I become even more angelic.

black gown/white gown

2009-02-24T08:52:00.004-06:00

Graduation day was wedding day. At least for the bride it was. You know, the whole black gown in morning-white gown at night deal.

She graduated from college at 10 that morning. We got married at 7 that night. That's crazy. Although, it wasn't really that day that was crazy--but the months of wedding prep and senior-level coursework at the same time leading up to it that was really crazy. Anyway, she's an overachiever and she did great at both. I, on the other hand, dropped a letter grade in my Design of Experiments class.

Between commencement and nuptials there were about 4 hours of free time. Bride and groom spent about half of that time at Hardee's. Brilliant! That's the last place anyone would have ever looked for us. We still don't go to Hardee's. Our families and friends weren't looking for us anyway. They had a wedding to get ready for. Anyway, I think everyone else thought we were both very busy.

We only needed some time with each other. I'll never forget (and always treasure) those stolen moments with my fiancee at a fast food restaurant talking openly and honestly about our future together as a family. In retrospect I realize we'd worked harder preparing for the marriage than for the wedding--advice I'd give to anyone.

Even today in the busy-ness of family life with careers and church obligations and so on, we look for little bits of stolen time together. I love those times and I love her because of them.

but she did say a lot

2009-02-23T09:10:00.002-06:00

One key to our longevity: talking. We talk. A lot.

We also listen some. Although I don't always engage the discipline, I have learned to listen. Mainly because most of the listening burden has been placed on my shoulders. I'm good, but distractions sometimes creep in--or in this case, slither.

I remember very well the afternoon at Riverside Park just outside our college town of Searcy, Ark. My girlfriend (the future mrs. kcrazorback if you weren't clear--hey, she's the love of my life I'm not going to be talking about anyone else) and I were standing on a paved path a couple of feet apart facing each other and talking. I peripherally noticed the snake that was just approaching her from behind. In an instant I decided the wise thing would be to not look down or step away but just watch what happens. The brown reptile meandered between her feet and then left. I really enjoyed telling her what had just happened after it got about 5 feet away. I still have no idea what she was talking about.

yes or no, just answer me already

2009-02-19T09:10:00.002-06:00

Mrs. kcrazorback and I are steaming toward our 20th wedding anniversary in a couple of months. So, I plan to post some stories from those 20 years several times between now and then. I'll try to keep it tame.

Engagement: In November of '88, I asked the young lady to marry me. She started laughing hysterically. I'm not completely sure that I ever got an answer from her. I was pretty sure that was what she wanted. But you probably know what it is to have a litte self-doubt at a young age. Anyway, as we started telling people right away you could tell how happy she was.

Of course, a few months later the preacher would ask her if she would marry me. She had no trouble answering him. Tellin' you though: I would have gotten the joke if she'd just laughed at him.

Laughter still fills our lives together. We all laugh frequently.

Does laughter=yes?

i didn't know about the new models, but serve me up some pi

2009-02-12T18:10:00.008-06:00

One item in the most recent hp solve newsletter, was news of the announcement of three new models at last month's Consumer Electronics show. I didn't know.

But now I know they exist. So, I'll have to get info about these three new hp calculators and get back to you: EasyCalc 100, SmartCalc 300s, OfficeCalc 300. Just based on the newsletter, it looks like I wouldn't mind a SmartCalc 300s for myself.

This edition also has some interesting trivia on the announcement of new models over the years.

The previous edition contained a calculation for the number pi that I had never heard of either. But it's so simple. You take 113355 and split it down the middle, divide the latter by the former so 355/113 and the result is pi accurate to six decimal places. I've been a mathematician for many years and I don't think anyone ever showed me that trick. Cool. Can I have a slice of 355/113, please. It's also possible I knew at one time, but have forgotten. You saw that I said "many years," right?

life journal

2009-02-10T21:20:00.004-06:00

Sometimes, the same old routine suprises you and becomes new and exciting all over again.

I've read through the Bible many times over the years. I've tried several plans or systems to read through the whole thing in a year--even accomplishing the feat once or twice.

I've been prompted to journal before as well. But, until now I had successfully resisted the call.

This year, our church is reading through scripture in a year and journaling scripture using the Life Journal. I never expected it to change me, but it has.

The Bible reading plan is good but really not all that different than others. However, the journal is great. It requires writing out scripture every day. I love it. I read the day's chapters, then write a verse or two and my observation about that scripture, how it applies to my life and a prayer. It has become an enjoyable part of my day that I very much look forward to. It's a spiritual discipline that I didn't anticipate would be so easy.

If you've never tried journaling scripture, give it a try. It might suprise you.

president obama and the new car

2009-01-21T10:51:00.004-06:00

Of course, our new president's limo has been in the news a lot lately. Now that is one sweet ride. On the other hand, it burns a lot of gas.

Kansas City's 2008 car market was a funny one. When gas prices skyrocketed, it became almost impossible to buy an affordable small car in Kansas City due to the demand. When gas prices went back down at the end of the year, lots of folks bought back their gas guzzling SUVs. What a fickle lot we are.

So with lower prices on economical cars, kcrazorback wife and I started shopping at the end of the year. After considering lots of cars, we began to focus on recent-model used Toyota Matrixes (Matrices?). We actually missed out on a couple as other buyers moved quickly to buy. (I'm the guilty party--I'm a stereotypical slow-moving southerner.)

So, within moments of the presidential swearing-in yesterday, I struck a deal to buy a 2007 Toyota Matrix--not the typical ride for 40 and over statisticians. I hope that stimulus package kicks in soon.

It's red. I mean, it is really red. Toyota calls it radiant red. I picked it up last night. Fortunately, kcrazorback looks good in red. Kcrazorback looks good regardless, but just making the point.

When gas prices go back up (and they will), I plan on saving a lot of money at the pump. Over the long haul, I hope it pays for itself.

Free Ride is playing in my mind. Yeah, I'm cool.

a-God

2009-01-08T14:52:00.002-06:00

Drove kcrazorback daughter to school Monday morning--first day back after Christmas break. We were running late so I decided to say our school-day prayer in the car on the way.

However, this time, she started praying. She ended her sweet prayer with "A-God." Then she said it's not about men. It's about God.

A-God.

free calculators

2009-01-06T14:31:00.002-06:00

Again, the hp online store has some good deals. If you're buying ink cartridges or toner, get 'em with free shipping and a free calculator--either a QuickCalc or an OfficeCalc 100. Check it out here.

Oh, and, if you really don't want the calculators, just send those to me.

oh boy, oh boy

2009-01-02T13:50:00.003-06:00

It wasn't quite Christmas morning. But, my New Year's Eve morning began before 8:00 AM when the FedEx guy rang the doorbell and dropped two boxes at the door. For this hp calculator dude it was like Christmas morning. I tore into the boxes expecting to find a new 35s in one box and a 10s in the other. hp did not disappoint. You see, I really did not miss the big sale I talked about in the previous post. At these prices, I couldn't afford not to buy (right, honey?).

After I get to know my 35s a little better, I'll give you a review of it. What follows is a quick review of my new 10s.

For a pocket scientific, the 10s seems to be everything you'd want with a few little suprises. For the price (I paid $7.99 with free shipping as part of a larger order), it's a very good calculator. Some notes:
* I really like the hard protective case and the dual power (solar and battery) feature. I bought the 10s because I needed one cheap calculator that I could carry in my laptop bag on business trips. I had been using my 33s for this purpose, but replaced the batteries twice last year after business trips. Anyway, I prefer not to travel with my 33s--don't want to lose it... Now, if I can just get used to algebraic entry while working.
* There seems to be some odd and very non-hp placement of buttons. Most annoying is the location of the AC button, which is not on an edge or near the ON button or near the = button. Hunting for it slows me down.
* The lcd contrast on the two-line display does not seem dark enough for me and I don't know how to darken it--standard tricks didn't work. Didn't try replacing the battery yet. I'll do some research and get back to you.
* The biggest of the little suprises: not only does this calculator store data and perform simple linear regressions like many other scientifics, it is capable of 5 other types of regression models: logarithmic, exponential, mathematical power, inverse and quadratic. Wow, that's all on an $8 calculator.

It's not top-of-the-line. But, to use a car phrase, it is best in class. If you can get one for $8, don't hesitate.

best ever deal on hp calculators (again)

2008-12-26T15:03:00.003-06:00

I regretted not buying a 35s last month when sale prices were the best I'd ever seen. Fortunately for me, another sale wasn't far behind. I won't regret it this time because I won't miss out (I already placed my order).

Anyway, the current sale will get you 20% off of hp calculators through January 5th (I think). Check 'em out here.

Christ in Christmas

2008-12-12T11:42:00.006-06:00

Count me as one of those folks who doesn't like "Seasons Greetings" or "Happy Holidays." Wal-mart ("Your One-Stop Christmas Shop"), Kohl's ("The Biggest Christmas Sale"), Target and other retailers are brave enough to include "Christ" in their marketing. Good for 'em. I want to be greeted with "Merry Christmas."

The word Christmas means Christ's festival. How can it not include Him? Ah, but that's where the really sad part comes in. You see, so many of us (Christians) obey the festival but not the Christ. We celebrate the birth but not the born. We give our money and our time to finding that perfect gift for each other without ever remembering that perfect gift which was given to us. We give the best tech gifts and toy gifts and food gifts and never think about giving the gift of eternal life by sharing the one gift that matters.

My favorite Christmas quote:

How many observe Christ’s Birthday! How few, his precepts! Oh! ‘tis easier to keep holidays than commandments

Ben Franklin—Poor Richard’s Alamanac

This Christmas, yes, shop at Christmas-friendly establishments. Greet cashiers and strangers with "Merry Christmas." Tell others about Christ. Give the gift that you can not afford.

Do all that and I'll let you get away with "Seasons Greetings."

Happy Holidays

venni vidi vici

2008-12-09T12:33:00.005-06:00

I was a math major in college. I learned all about Venn diagrams when working with sets. I'd say I had a pretty good education.

Imagine my suprise a couple of weeks ago when kcrazorback daughter began (correctly) explaining Venn diagrams to me and showing me an example of one. Don't forget, kcrd is in kindergarten.

Turns out her K-teacher is pretty good with math and very good at teaching. So she and math-interested daughter are a good fit. All the kids in Ms. H's class are benefiting from this.

Daughter is already pretty good at math (at age 4, she could multiply, say, 2 x 12 in her head--actually doing the computation--I think she was making 24 imaginary tick marks in two rows of 12 and counting them--answering correctly) and dreams about numbers. But with a little bit of genetics and a teacher inspiring her, she can be great in mathematics. I always knew she would, just didn't expect it so soon.

Thank you Ms. H for breaking my preconceived ideas of what an elementary educator is capable of. Thank you also for recognizing what your little learners are capable of. Thanks for intersecting the two. Good job!

have a happy family thanksgiving, amoeba brain

2008-11-25T09:52:00.002-06:00

For the first time in a few years, we'll all be together: my mom, her kids, their spouses and kids. It'll be great. Family sticks together. Or at least it should. Even if you're no smarter than an amoeba, stick with your family.

Have a great holiday, turkey.

fontastic hp

2008-11-18T13:22:00.003-06:00

You guys that are really into hp calculators will enjoy their calculator font collection.

For the rest of you, clearly you don't know how cool we are.

thank you veterans

2008-11-11T10:06:00.002-06:00

I love Veterans' Day (though I don't think I've ever gotten off of work on this day). My life has been blessed by a few veterans that I knew very well and by thousands that I never knew.

Published this post in July. However, it contains a letter to the editor written for Veterans' Day. Pointing you back to this post is my Veterans' Day tribute. Read it here.

Thank you to all of the veterans.

dream reified

2008-11-05T18:52:00.002-06:00

MLK Jr. had a dream. Yesterday, the greatest nation on earth elected a president based on his merit.

Of course, that has happened in most presidential elections in history. The difference, this time, is that this president-elect is African American. So are his wife and children (won't it be neat having children in the White House again?). Doesn't matter. You see, that is the amazing thing about this election. The candidate that won, did so irrespective of the color of his skin.

Of course some vestiges of racism still exist in this country. But, I truly believe that most of the people, whether they voted for or against him, are extremely interested in how well he will preside over our country and don't even care about what color his skin is. I think our country has turned a corner and will never turn back.

Congratulations President-elect Obama. I hope you go down in history as one of the greatest U.S. presidents ever. Because that is what is best for our country; not because of your race.

MLK, Jr.: I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal."

Perhaps, yesterday, November 4, 2008 was that day this nation rose up.

great day in the history of america

2008-11-04T09:09:00.004-06:00

Election day is here! Today is Tuesday after the first Monday of November. The harvest is in. You have no excuse not to vote. Or at least I don't want to hear it.

Today is also historic. When polls close this evening, together we will have elected our first African American president or our first woman VP. Either way, the coming January inauguration will be amazing.

We Christians are in a unique position in this country which is defined by both its Christian roots and its love of democracy. There are enough of us to make a huge difference in this country. Get out and vote, brothers and sisters. Make a difference. Vote your values. Live your values.

But don't worry about the results. No matter who wins, Jesus Christ reigns supreme--yes, over this country. The Lord of Lords and King of Kings' reign will continue.

Colossians 1:15-17 (New International Reader's Version)
Copyright © 1996, 1998 by International Bible Society

Christ Is Far Above Everything
15 Christ is the exact likeness of God, who can't be seen. He is first, and he is over all of creation. 16 All things were created by him. He created everything in heaven and on earth. He created everything that can be seen and everything that can't be seen. He created kings, powers, rulers and authorities. Everything was created by him and for him. 17 Before anything was created, he was already there. He holds everything together.

One other favorite quote, this one from John Quincy Adams:

The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity. From the day of the Declaration...they were bound by the laws of God, which they all, and by the laws of the Gospel, which they nearly all, acknowledge as the rules of their conduct.

all hp calculators on sale

2008-10-07T16:01:00.004-05:00

Apparently all of their calculators are on sale through October 11 plus free shipping: buy buy now.

had lunch with my daughter

2008-10-07T15:45:00.002-05:00

had lunch with my daughter
she's in kindergarten
face lit up

"I knew you'd come"
held hands in line
she paid for mine

she said hi to everyone
"I'll show you how, dad"
"can't go to the bathroom--ever"

"will you tell mom I didn't eat my fruit?"

i choose happiness

2008-10-06T13:06:00.002-05:00

Earlier this morning I caught myself singing or humming a praise song kind of out loud. You should also know I was doing this at work in an open cubicle environment at an advertising agency. I didn't care. But what got my attention was I realized I was doing this somewhat subconsciously during the crisis of the moment.

The last few weeks have been kind of brutal. My work has been stressful. My home life has been difficult (I seem to be attracting plumbing problems at an alarming rate). My relationships have been stressful (my fault). My favorite football teams have been losing every weekend. My favorite baseball team has been awful for years. Gas is expensive. Everything else is too. I still don't have a Nintendo Wii.

DON'T MISUNDERSTAND: I know that many other people have it much worse than I do. I'm NOT complaining. I just wanted you to know that--if you're looking at me saying "He's got it all together"--you're only partially right.

If we choose God, He will make joy complete. If we praise Him no matter what the circumstances, His favor will dictate what happens in our lives.

I choose joy. I choose praise. I choose God.

Go. Read John 15. Have complete joy.

nuon, the best gaming system nobody knew about

2008-10-01T20:44:00.005-05:00

You probably know this about me already. As I noted in this earlier post, I'm a gamer. Which is tough, because I still don't have a modern gaming system.

At the beginning of this decade/century/millenium, I rolled the dice and missed on Nuon (see the Dome for more information about what Nuon is). Nuon was a game chip produced by the now-defunct VM Laboratories to go into DVD players. A few players were produced, primarily the Toshiba SD-2300 and the Samsung N501 along with a couple of other models. It was a DVD player that was also a game system (compare to Playstation 2 which was a game system that also played DVDs). I have one Toshiba and one Samsung.

There were only 7 commercially produced games released for this system. One of those, Iron Soldier 3, was the rarest and is still very hard to get. It is the only game that I don't have. I was the 2nd highest bidder about 3 times in a row at about $60 years ago. The price skyrocketed after that and I've never gotten one. But I have had all of the others all along.

Nuon was a good system, IMHO just as good as Playstation 2. It's still the best game system I've got.

Tonight, 5 year old kcrazorback daughter asked if she could play the game with the "animals that drive the cars." The flagship game for Nuon was Merlin Racing. This game is cart racing at its best. It is a fantastic game--unfortunately, the others weren't all done with the same quality. But a quick shout out to two of those other games that were well done: Tempest 3000 is Tempest like you remember from 25 years ago and very well done while Freefall 3050 AD is unlike anything else you've ever played, is very challenging and I have not really learned to play it yet.

There is a very small number of developers cranking out homebrew games which do work on some Nuon players (not the Toshibas). There were lots of other commercial games in development at the time the system went belly up as well--who knows maybe someday some of those will be distributed. I doubt it because the folks with rights to them are out of business, but you never know.

If you find a Nuon system on the cheap (ebay, garage sale, thrift shop, whatever), grab it and find out what the rest of the world has been missing.

Meanwhile I've got to go get kcrazorback daughter more interested in gaming if we're ever going to talk mom into getting us a Wii.

ms hachinsky's kindergarten class

2008-09-25T22:16:00.003-05:00

I just thought you might like to see kcrazorback daughter's class. Here it is.

the very scary football schedule

2008-09-16T13:54:00.002-05:00

Sorry, unplanned sports post warning: If you know me at all, you know that for my 40+ years I have been a pig--a big one too--a gigantic University of Arkansas Razorback. I lived and breathed Hog football even before I ever went to school there (which I did and received a Master's degree in statistics 18 years ago).

There have been good teams and bad teams during all those years. But, this year's team is possibly the worst. Yeah, it doesn't make much sense to say that about a 2-0 college football team. Those two wins shouldn't count. One was a fourth-quarter come-from-behind-and-barely-hold-on-to-win heart-stopper against the Leathernecks of Div. I-AA Western Illinois. The other win was a one-point victory in the same manner against another supposedly inferior opponent--Louisiana-Monroe. Both games could have easily been losses.

IMHO, Coach Bobby Petrino does not have this Arkansas team prepared to win against the big boys. Of course it doesn't help that the Oakland Raiders and Dallas Cowboys are suddenly both better because two of the five best running backs in the country last year don't play on the same team in Fayetteville any more.

So, how will the Hogs do against the big boys? We're about to find out. Over the next four weeks, Arkansas will play the (current) AP-poll #9 (Bama), #7 (Texas), #4 (Florida) and #10 (Auburn) ranked teams back-to-back-to-back-to-back. I'll admit it. I am very scared. Four top-10 opponents in 22 days--are you kidding me?

Go Hogs! Allay my fears! A 6-0 Arkansas team this year would be the biggest suprise I can imagine. Of course, my understanding of inferential statistics doesn't allow me to be too hopeful. As soon as the next game starts, though, my optimism will overwhelm my lack of hope and the long odds and I will root hard for my team. Win or lose, I'll do the same the next week. And the next. And the next. And next year. And the year after that. You get the point.

children are amazing

2008-09-12T12:03:00.002-05:00

At Barkley's annual Creativity Symposium last Friday, our CEO Brian Brooker talked to us about children. In our awful state of grownuppiness, we forget to be creative like children--to ask questions like children--to pick our noses--etc. Anyway, it was an inspiring talk that ended with 300 employees going out to the parking lot for recess--seriously, playground balls, ultimate frisbee, jumpropes, dodgeball, girls playing Miss Mary Mack...

I sometimes think that God gives us these little super-creative humans just to amaze us and remind us what is possible. My kid is ultra-creative. She doesn't let not yet knowing how to read prevent her from writing. She doesn't let potential messes stop her from creating art. In a mixed media masterpiece, she colored on the TV screen (she got in trouble for that one--parents weren't seeing through child eyes). On and on the list goes.

Her wise and beautiful mother gave her a digital camera and creative freedom on a recent walk at the park. She documented the photographer's trip on this blog post. The deer that ran by were too fast for the young photographer to shoot, however she did capture amazing images that we were too grownup to see. She took a picture of a leaf. She took a picture of a slug. She took a picture of her dad from an angle no one should be subjected to. She got down in the cattails at a park pond and took a picture through them of a fountain. She took lots of great pictures. Thankfully, she is a child.

The Greatest Creator created all of this beauty. Thankfully, He also created children (specifically this photographer) and, as an amazing gift, gave us creativity as well.

old hundredth

2008-09-05T18:42:00.002-05:00

Post #100: Wow, I didn't know I could do that. One year ago I had never written a blog post. This is my 100th--in just under a year. I never intended to keep it up. But it's been a fun outlet. I've had a couple of dry spells this year because I was very busy at work. But I hope to gradually increase the number of posts without taking it too seriously as a goal.

last swim of summer

2008-09-03T10:12:00.002-05:00

It's an early fall in Kansas City. Unusually mild temps in August are leading to some colorful trees already. I wonder if we're maybe a month ahead of our typical color schedule.

Our family swims every summer--a lot. Kcrazorback wife and daughter are both excellent swimmers and I can make a relatively large splash. We have a pool in our homeowner's association that we use almost daily during summer. We also have a membership to the city's two pool complexes (think small water parks).

For a month now, the water in the pools has been a little chilly. Usually, it's like a hot tub in August, but not this year. We've had the place to ourselves on a number of occasions because our neighbors apparently prefer to swim in warmer water. Oh well, more for us.

Now that September is here, though, the water temperature and the air temperature both appear to be headed down. We're pretty sure this is the last week before they shut the pools down for the season.

Last night, we went swimming as a family. Already, a cold front from Canada was moving in and since then rainy remnants from Gustav have moved into KC. We won't be able to swim today. I suspect that we won't be able to swim again this summer. It's gone.

Goodbye swimming. We'll see you again in May.

nationwide and cdot

2008-08-27T09:53:00.001-05:00

Author's note: I started writing this blog last November and never completed or posted it. Here it is.

I have siblings. Lots of people do. No matter how mature you are as an adult, when you get together with your siblings, you tend to act like you did back in the day. It is pretty disgusting to act your age minus 30 years.

When my wife and I were first married (a very long time ago) she would get very upset with my behavior at family functions when my sibs and I reverted to our adolescently determined patterns. Of course, when we visited her family, she and her brothers did the same thing. None of us have grown up too much since then. It is fun, though watching the next generation establish their behavior patterns and drive their parents (us) crazy.

My brother is Nationwide. Read through some of my old posts and you'll learn quite a bit about him, especially about the best wedding gift we ever received. We are twins. Growing up with him was a real adventure. He and I have been known to get up before dawn and ride our bicycles to a pond to fish as soon as the sun came up. He did all kinds of crazy stuff as a kid. He once fired a shotgun inside the house. I don't think he meant too, but... My brother is a great example of someone who has overcome bad circumstances and adversity in his life.

My sister is Cdot. She was much younger than her two brothers but thought she could do anything. She usually did. This sweet little girl flew under the radar avoiding getting in trouble most of the time. She's had a dichotomous life. All of her life (to me) she's either been a precocious 7 year-old or a 30 year-old mother of twins herself. She's done a great job. She recently stole our very young mother (recently retired from teaching) to come and help out with the kids and be close to them. My sister is a great example of someone who has overcome physical and medical setbacks in her life.

My respect for both of them is many times greater than it ever was when we were kids.

However, when we get together for the next family holiday, expect the return of 1983 and "you better take that back" and "Star Wars is way better than Superman" and "who is Debbie Gibson" and "Michael J. Fox is a hero" and slapfights and shoulder punches and "mom and dad didn't love you" and "the five minutes before you were born were the best five minutes of my life" and "mine, too" and "you two were the wonderful children" and...and three very disgusted spouses/in-laws.

They say you only hurt the ones you love. Watch out siblings, I love you.

where was God?

2008-08-25T21:05:00.002-05:00

It seems like we've had a lot of tragedies, maladies, etc. lately. And I bet you've heard someone ask something like "Where was God?"

Rhonda was terminally ill. The last few years, she was confined to a wheelchair. It was difficult for her to get around. Bodily debilitation continued to accelerate. Rhonda continued coming to church every chance she got, even when she had to completely rely on others to get her there.

Let's be clear, salvation has nothing to do with church attendance. Salvation has everything to do with your faith. It's who you trust, not what you do. If ever there was someone who could be excused from attending church, she was Rhonda. She kept coming.

One time, the preacher asked her why she kept coming. She felt closer to God where God was being praised. What an amazing response. What a spiritual response. What a scriptural response.

Yeah, that's a scriptural concept. God may have sat on the mercy seat in the temple, but His throne is where His people are praising Him. Psalm 22:3 says "yet you are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel." (NLT)

You want to be where God is? Want to know where God is? Praise Him. Don't neglect praising Him. Go to church where you can join with others in lifting up a throne of praise for Him to sit on.

Where was God when tragedy XYZ struck? Where was God when Rhonda died? Where was God...? He was there. In our fallen world tragedy strikes, but God is there. He's comforting. He's answering prayers. Do you continue to praise God when the tragedy comes?

Rhonda was 34 when she died. She was the mother of one of the girls in our youth ministry. When she couldn't speak, her very presence glorified God. Because of her drawing close to God, she will be close to him for all eternity. In tragedy, she drew closer to the God that she knew was there. I think she may have asked why, but she didn't ask where.

michael phelps, watch out

2008-08-19T22:13:00.003-05:00

Kcrazorback daughter "practicing for the olympics." I'll be sure to show this video 16 years from now when she wins her medal.

first day k pictures

2008-08-19T09:02:00.004-05:00

OK, so a good night's sleep makes the pictures upload the very first time. Well, it would've been a good night's sleep if kcrazorback daughter had not wakened him at 1:24 AM to show him what the tooth fairy brought. Here, 15 minutes before first bell, daughter is excited about first day:

School is about 1/2 mile uphill from home so we walked on first day. There is one street to cross without a crossing guard so the kids hold bright yellowish green flags:

After transferring the backpack to the student, Dad got to walk her up the school's front walk:

Once inside, the reification of full-day kindergarten brought a sad, pensive look to the face of the previously excited first day-er.

Five minutes later, however, she would be sitting front and center while teacher covered calendar issues for the day. All in all she had a great day and was actually observed hugging teachers before going home at the end of the day.

can't upload pictures

2008-08-18T22:24:00.002-05:00

Sorry, I've tried for 30 minutes and can't get the first day of kindergarten pictures to upload. I'm giving up, but only temporarily.

Meanwhile, check out the school here.

first day of kindergarten

2008-08-17T20:26:00.003-05:00

Those of you that know kcrazorback daughter well know that tomorrow (less than 12 hours from now) is her first day of kindergarten. I am certain the waterworks will flow after her mother and I drop her off at 8:10 in the morning. Her mother may even cry as well. Tomorrow I plan to post a first day picture and tell you more about her school, etc. in time.

There's something special about starting formal education. If she's like either parent, she'll be getting out of school in about 19 years. I'll be in my 60's when that happens so I hope I'll be able to remember these first five years. So, upon this important commencement, let me honor her first five years with this blog post.

Actually, you're five years old, but God made you almost exactly six years ago. During those almost-9 months before birthday, you were the life of the party. You danced if there was music, twirled if Mom had cake, loved the voices of friends and family and had a special bond with your mother. Even before you were born we got little peeks into your personality which is much like hers.

You were injured at birth during a traumatic delivery and fought for your life for about 30 minutes. You won that fight and have lived life more passionately since then than anyone I've ever known.

I remember so many things about you when you were a baby. You were such a good sleeper. You were a daddy's girl from the start. Your smile was contagious. You made a guttural click when I walked in the room and to say 'goodbye' and 'I love you.' When you could eat real food, you did. And you still eat with a passion. What's funny about that is you're still skinny.

You stole our hearts at the very beginning, but you kept them with your bouncy-seat bouncing, dancing, singing, 'running and reading,' Noggin, praying, talking (and talking and talking and talking), gymnastics, piano, ice skating and many other activities. There are so many other reasons as well: baseball, cotton candy--wait, those are the same activity. And, the big one, of course, swimming. You are the best swimmer for your age. We have a video of you in the swimming pool saying you're training for the Olympics (shot about an hour ago)--I plan on showing that video 16 years from now when you get your Olympic medal.

Of course, by then you'll still be in school. So, enjoy the next 11 hours because a super huge adventure is just about to begin. (I'm glad you're still a good sleeper.)

which cat engineer is real?

2008-07-21T16:45:00.004-05:00

OK, so one of you forwarded me a funny video. Don't do that. Anyway, this time I clicked on it and watched the first minute or so before getting tired of it and shutting it off. In that first minute or so, though, a hp calculator made the cut. Stay tuned.

Here is the video. It is about two engineers explaining what cats are. Now, if you happen to like engineers or (dare I say) cats, you might find this video amusing. I don't like either and I did not care for the video. (OK--I kinda do like some engineers--I don't like cats.)

But note the two calculators in the calculator duel scene early on. The guy on the left (an engineer?) appears to be holding a TI graphing calculator.

But, look closely at the other calculator--the one on the right. It's one of the late '80s clamshells--the hps without a family name. I'm not sure exactly which model it is, but I'm guessing 28S (orlando for you guys that know your hp names) or 28C (paladin). These first RPL programmables are super-cool. I've got a couple.

Obviously, the guy on the right is the coolest cat-explaining engineer this side of Palo Alto. Moral: Cat engineering can be done with any old calculator, but...um, ok, so maybe I don't know the moral, but it's nice to see an hp in the movies.

my very hard decision

2008-07-17T21:50:00.004-05:00

When the family gets a new dog, it seems to bond with exactly one family member in a special way. In June of 1997, six-week old Polly picked me. This is the only family pet that has ever picked me.

On Tuesday, I made the decision to put her to sleep. It was a difficult decision because most of the time she seemed to be a perfect cute little dog just laying on the floor. Unfortunately, she laid on the floor almost all the time to avoid respiratory distress caused by congestive heart failure and tracheal collapse. It was a very difficult decision because she could have lived on for several more years.

If you knew her, you knew that this little active dog would never have real quality of life when forced into inactivity. I will always remember a very vivacious dog who greeted each day with zeal. So, I'll honor that life by telling you just a few things about her:
1. One of my nicknames for her was Discount Dog because we got her from a dealer for much less than the going rate for purebred Pomeranians because her ears curled over instead of standing straight up. Susan saw her the first time and said "you watch, those little ears are going to pop right up." They did, almost immediately when we got her home at 7 weeks old. They stood straight and pointy until the moment she passed away. See her ears in the picture above taken with newborn Olivia in 2003.
2. Cottage cheese. Her early diet involved a lot of cottage cheese. I remember looking at this little blonde face covered with cottage cheese every time she ate.
3. We drove up at our Walnut St. house with her the first time, set her in the grass where she peed immediately. From that point on she was essentially potty trained.
4. She was truly kennel trained. The first two years of her life she slept in a kennel on the floor right next to my side of the bed. Her job was to wake me up.
5. She adored our first Pomeranian, Niki (Niki just died in 2007 at almost 18 years old) but Niki only tolerated Polly.
6. My other nickname for her was Double Dog. Because our only other dog at the time weighed about 5.5 pounds and then came Polly at a whopping 11 pounds.
7. A couple of months after she came to live with us, Polly broke a leg. I'll never forget her little pink cast. When it came off, the leg was atrophied--half the size of the other front leg.

I'll miss Polly. She was a good dog. I wish the decision had not been necessary.

best price on 10bII

2008-07-10T23:38:00.003-05:00

Generally speaking, the hp site is the best place to buy new hp calculators, but I happened to walk by the calculators in the local Walmart store tonight. If you're looking for a good deal on 10bII, this $29.99 calculator is available at one Walmart for only $20. Can't beat that anywhere else.

pricing update for new models

2008-07-09T13:46:00.003-05:00

I told you in this recent post about all the new calculator models that hp is going to market with. Seems that they have rolled out their prices. Couple this with the earlier post and start buying:

1. 20b $39.99
2. 40gs $99.99 (note: check the earlier post, I guessed $99-110, that's right--I'm real good)
3. OfficeCalc 100 $14.99
4. OfficeCalc 200 $19.99
5. PrintCalc 100 not yet priced
6. QuickCalc $5.99

IMHO, these are great prices. Start buying. Oh yeah, send me one (of each). I'm still waiting.

If interested in buying, start here.

letter to the editor

2008-06-29T18:22:00.002-05:00

Mom was the scribe in the family. If anyone was going to write a letter I'd have expected her to. However, on a recent trip back to the family home. I discovered that my dad wrote a letter to the editor of the Nashville News (probably) in the late '80s. It was published with the headline "Ordinary men were greatest WWII heroes."

For Independence Day, I am reproducing his letter to the editor here.

Dear Editor:
I am enclosing a copy of an article from a book entitled World War II Fighting Men of Arkansas published shortly after the end of the war. The man pictured was my father Brooks Ayers Tolleson. He was born north of Nashville at Mount Pleasant and was raised in the Highland/Nathan/Center Point area.
The approach of Veterans Day prompts me to highlight his contribution to that war along with those of many others from this area.
Brooks married Katherine Wood and had three children before being drafted into WWII from Pike County and another child after returning home.
Just at the end of the war, he was captured and held as a POW in a German Stalag for over six months. Even after suffering as a prisoner, he never held an anomosity toward anyone.
He was always proud of his country; he never failed to vote. He was proud to have been part of the process of freedom and protection this country offered, and he honored the flag and other veterans every chance he had.
Brooks lived most of his adult life in Clark County working in the logging industry. After suffering an initial hear attack in 1975, he and Katherine returned to Howard County in the early 1980s.
He applied for and began receiving veteran benefits of only $16 a month. I thought this was a disgrace because much of his disability was the direct result of his injury while a POW, but my dad received it gladly.
My dad was the most honest person I've ever known, and he was only one of many of his generation who did what they believed to be right. Ordinary men like him were truly the greatest heroes of the war. America needs more heroes like him today.
Sincerely,
Ronnie Tolleson
Mineral Springs

Mom has the original handwritten letter as well as an original clipping somewhere. We'll try to preserve them. I can't locate the book the letter references, but will try to at some point.

Raise your flag this week. Honor a veteran this Independence Day. Vote this fall. The price that my grandfather and many others paid make the examples that they lived worthy of following.

eating a rainbow

2008-06-22T21:14:00.004-05:00

Took kcrazorback daughter to a baseball game today. It's amazing how a 5-year old girl can eat for three hours straight. She's definitely my kid.

Course #4 was a gigantic snow cone. Of course, ice chunks with multi-colored sugar syrup on them can occupy a kid for a while. Two-thirds of the way through this frozen sugar bomb I looked down at her. She looked back up at me and said "I'm eating a rainbow."

6/26 Added photo: Thanks to my friend Wendy (2nd from right) for sending me this photo which shows the little rainbow-eater (right), although it doesn't look much like a rainbow on that little tongue.

merry Christmas

2008-06-13T11:22:00.003-05:00

OK, I know it's not really Christmas. But any day I hear about new hp calculator models feels a little like Christmas morning. And so, today I present the new models I've heard about:

I've always been a really big fan of hp financial calculators. Financial professionals seem to love 'em as well. This new model, the 20b seems to be the perfect basic scientific. What? Oh yeah, it is a financial calculator--it also calculates IRRs and amortizations with classic 12b ease but it's combined with basic trig functions for example. I think it will end up being a great one for your student or consumer who just wants the power of a financial calculator occasionally to calculate car payments, etc. Of course, soon, the car will be free with each tank of gas purchased.

Check out the new graphing calculator, the 40gs here. I'm not much into the graphing ones so won't offer much of an opinion. It looks like it'll be a midgrade (maybe in the $99-$110 range) that will be a fantastic choice over the $150 version.

Wow, it looks like our old calculator company is introducing a whole new line of products: the Home and Office category. With three new calculators that give you the feel of an old-school adding machine and one really cool looking basic (think 4-function) model, there is something for almost any office or retail environment. If you don't have to calculate payments or IRRs, consider one of these:

The OfficeCalc 100 appears to be your basic adding-machine but it's all hp under the hood. The OfficeCalc 200 looks like the 100 but is actually quite a bit bigger. And, if you really need the register tape on your adding machine, check out the PrintCalc 100.

Out of all the new models, though, my very favorite may just end up being the QuickCalc. It looks really cool. It is rugged. It goes anywhere. It's magnetic. In short it's just like me: attractive, simple, rugged, magnetic. OK, I'm not really magnetic. But this calculator looks like it will be great. The design is creative.

OK, so my Christmas gift to you is a blog post. Well, it's not really Christmas either, is it? So, stop your complaining. If you want to get me a gift, I'll take one of each of the products listed above.

the incredible heaviness of being

2008-06-10T16:57:00.002-05:00

OK, I've been a member of a health club for a week and a half. With membership comes two personal trainer sessions.

The first one, last week, basically went down like this: the trainer did a fitness assessment involving a scale (ugh), a tape measure (double ugh) and a long questionnaire about what, when and how I eat. I am one messed up puppy. The good news, though, is it doesn't matter where you start, but where you end up. The first session ended with 10 minutes of core muscle exercises. I didn't know I had ab muscles. Maybe I don't. It was almost enough to make me decide not to return.

I did go back. The second session also ended with 10 minutes of ab training. But instead of sitting at a desk for 40 minutes, I lifted weights. My muscles did not appreciate this at all. They haven't voluntarily lifted anything in a while. It felt good. I think I'm on the road to making it for the first couple of months.

During the first week, my eating was quite good and I exercised moderately. As I add in core and resistance training (oooh, sound like I know what I'm talking about), I hope you'll see more improvement and less kcrazorback, weigh less. The PT will bring me in for a followup assessment in one month--the whole scale & tape routine. I'll let you know how it goes.

hpanda

2008-06-07T18:45:00.002-05:00

Saw the Kung Fu Panda movie with the fam last night. It's not the greatest movie, but it is entertaining and worth the $8.25 to plunk down imho. If they had just made the entire movie as humorous as the big battle at the end was it would have been really good.

Also stayed through the credits hoping for really cool animated outtakes, etc. Didn't really get that but did get to see the hp logo quite prominently after the credits. So, later I checked out the movie's official site and clicked on the list of partners. Unfortunately the hp logo is not a link on the official site, but almost all of the other partner links do work.

Note, however, that the hp site does have some pretty cool kfp related content. Check it out here.

Peace to the valley.

rooting irrationally

2008-06-04T09:40:00.007-05:00

If you aren't yet subscribed to the hp calculator newsletter HP Solve, check out the newest one here. Then sign up here if you want.

For the real math geeks, this month's issue takes you through the calculations your calculator does when calculating the square root of 2. Cool.

On my first day of graduate school, my instructor proved that the square root of 2 is irrational. On his first exam, he asked us to prove that the square root of 12 was irrational. Out of some 40 math students in the room, I was one of only two or three (I think) that got it right. Can you prove that the square root of 12 is irrational?

fit all day long

2008-05-30T22:27:00.002-05:00

OK, I admit it, I'm out of shape. In fact, last fall when I left AAFP in order to take a job at Barkley one thing I left behind was an exercise facility right there in the office that I had used for ten years. My fitness level during the last 9 months has taken a serious nosedive.

Barkley doesn't have an exercise facility in the office. But it does offer a great benefit--monthly health club dues reimbursement.

So, I did it. Last night I joined a health club. I'll keep you posted on how the whole thing works out. I expect to stick with it. If I can do that through the first couple of months, I should be alright.

I wonder if the club will mind if I run on a treadmill while eating Doritos.

today's mercy seat

2008-05-28T22:38:00.006-05:00

My employer, Barkley, is located in the Crossroads Arts District of downtown Kansas City. It's a really cool neighborhood to walk around in at lunchtime. Among many local interesting, even odd, businesses, there is a tattoo and piercing parlor by the name of Mercy Seat Tattoo.

Mercy Seat's logo is a drawing that appears to be an electric chair. I have no idea how they came up with that logo or what it means or anything.

But, it started me thinking about THE mercy seat and the fundamental misunderstanding that so many have of their relationship with God. Too many see God as a merciless judge who is just waiting for a slip up so he can show them straight to the electric chair. But the God I know is a God of mercy. He sits and waits, not for the slip up, but, anxiously, for the opportunity to show mercy. The very name of the place where he sits is the mercy seat.

The mercy seat of the Old Testament was in the most holy place in the tabernacle. It was gold-plated opulence. Only the High Priest could approach the mercy seat once a year with a blood offering for the atonement of sins.

Today's mercy seat is different. You see, something, amazing happened at the crucifixion. As His (Jesus, the Son of God) blood poured out as an atonement for sin for all of time, the temple curtain separating man from God was torn apart (from top to bottom). Any of us, no matter how lowly or sinful can approach the mercy seat and not die, but receive mercy and live eternally. Jesus, through his own blood, made atonement as a High Priest, before the true mercy seat of God which is in Heaven (Heb. 9:11,12).

He chose to do this. The Lamb has been slaughtered. The sacrifice has been made. The sins are forgiven. Salvation is provided. FOR those who come to the Father through the Son, Jesus. Coming to Jesus is easy. Jesus (Emanuel--God Incarnate--God with Meat) came to us. All we have to do is believe his message and accept his free gift.

There is a judgment seat in the New Testament. It's found in Matt. 25:31 and following. Jesus sits on the judgment seat. That's right--the great High Priest who made atonement for my sins. Vs. 46 says that the righteous will enter into eternal life and in Heb. 10:10 "we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all."

19 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.
23 Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. (Heb. 10:19-23, NLT)

we remember

2008-05-26T12:12:00.004-05:00

Today is Memorial Day. Our flag is out.

I'm proud to be an American. I'm proud to be the son of a U.S. Marine, the son-in-law of a U.S. Army officer (Vietman veteran), the grandson of a WW II P.O.W. (6 months in a German prison), the nephew of service men (by now we're up to all branches of the armed forces). I come from a long line of men and women who have served our country in peace and war times.

I'm proud of my great-grandparents and their generation who raised the "Greatest Generation." Their are many parallels between their generation and the young adults who are now referred to as Generation-X. Similarly, their children (the Millenials) are being called by some the "2nd Greatest Generation."

I never served in the United States military, but I have the greatest respect for those men and women who place it on the line every day. Regardless of politics, you Americans serving all over the world--especially in Iraq--right now are to be respected, commended and supported.

More than 4,000 of your colleagues have died in Iraq. The price of your sacrifice is hard for us to understand. Thank you for protecting freedom. Thank you for serving. May God bless you all and bring you home soon.

captivated on captiva

2008-05-21T21:07:00.002-05:00

Mrs. kcrazorback and I just returned from a long weekend in Florida--a long kid-free weekend in Florida, that is. Kid-free weekends are the best kind. Don't get me wrong: I love my kid.

But I love my wife, too. In fact, I don't get enough time with her. In those rare moments that we have that aren't dominated by the concerns of this world--work, kid, home, cars, paying for gasoline, whatever--those old college days come flying back.

We were college sweethearts, you see. We've now been married for 19 years. But, every time I look at that girl I see my college sweetheart--just as she looked in 1986. One of my strongest memories is what her perfume smelled like in college. I hear her voice and summer of 1988 late night phone calls come to mind. Her every touch reminds me of two decades ago.

I still love: walking with her, talking with her, eating out together, traveling with her, making plans with her, laughing together. I can't get enough of her. I never will.

I'm so thankful for last weekend on Captiva Island. Florida is wonderful.

Thanks to my inlaws for watching our daughter for the weekend. I enjoyed watching theirs.

spare $13.9 billion laying around?

2008-05-13T10:52:00.004-05:00

Nothing to do with calculators here--except for the need for a good 12c to analyze this deal: hp is buying EDS for a sweet chunk of change, I've seen $12.6 to $13.9 billion. That's quite an acquisition. See EDS or hp for more info. Opinions on whether this is a good deal for our calculator company, please comment?

skin is in

2008-05-09T09:58:00.004-05:00

It's not my deal, but I know lots of folks who put skins on their mobile devices and iPods, etc. Now, however, I may have good reason to start.

Skin It is now offering skins for hp calculators. Wow. I did notice, however, that my alma mater Arkansas was not listed among the long list of colleges with skins available. Thanks to Wing Kin Chueng's hp blog for the heads up. Also, I noticed that my beloved 33s is not one of the models available as well.

So, Skin It, as soon as I can dress up my 33s in a little Hawg outfit, you might get my business. Until then, probably not.

five is just too old

2008-05-05T11:53:00.002-05:00

I suppose it's not really too old. But for mom and dad it comes too quickly. We see our sweet little kcrazorback daughter growing up too fast. Before we know it, she'll be in kindergarten, um, grade school, really, high school already, you mean she's in college, I mean home from college...

I know, between now and then there will be a million soccer games, sleepovers, lemonade stands, skinned knees, church camps, school days, sick days and snow days. I know she'll still need us. But the need will be different.

Until now, in a lot of ways, we were her world. From now on we will support her, help her, protect her and even lead her in her own world--not ours, but hers.

It's supposed to be this way. What good would it be if 13 years from now she went away to college still dependent on us? Still, our co-dependence is hard to lose. You see, she doesn't need me in the same way anymore. But there's not a switch to turn it off in me.

We are learning new ways to communicate. This weekend I opened something for her as she protested "Daddy, I can do it." I said "I know you can. I just wanted to do it for you." We've entered a new stage--a good one.

I really am happy for her--but, five is just too old.

great sports quote

2008-04-25T13:32:00.002-05:00

This Yahoo! sports blog, Shutdown Corner, contains your great sports quote of the day. It's about the San Diego Chargers' decision to draft Ryan Leaf to play quarterback 10 years ago:

They literally would have been better off drafting an epileptic plumber who can't read, and just paying him to stay home and watch cartoons and play with his wrench.

it's not our fault

2008-04-21T10:34:00.003-05:00

On Friday morning, a magnitude 5.2 earthquake shook the midwest. Though it was centered in southeastern Illinois, it was felt as far west as Kansas.

Well, I did not feel the quake. But it did wake me up--in Kansas. At that time Friday morning, I was awakened by the sound of rattling--not sure if it was a chandelier or barrister bookcase doors or something else, but the rattling seemed to last for a long time. I looked at the clock and fell right back to sleep. Only later in the day, when I read the news, did I realize what it was that caused what I heard.

the champs

2008-04-08T09:35:00.002-05:00

Sure enough, the Kansas Jayhawks won the NCAA basketball championship last night. Awesome! If you recall, the football team won the Orange Bowl in January and finished with the best record in all of college football (and except for one unfortunate loss to the University of Missouri, could have been national champs in football as well). KU is on a roll.

shoe-wearing birds fly

2008-04-07T12:26:00.004-05:00

OK, so I said I would leave sports out of the blog after Houston Nutt resigned.

Well, now you can't hold me to that when a school we are connected to is playing for the national championship in basketball tonight. That's right the Kansas Jayhawks could win it all tonight by beating the Memphis Tigers. GO KU!

How are we connected to KU, you ask? OK, well Mrs. kcrazorback has a Master's degree in integrated marketing communications from the University of Kansas making her a real Jayhawk--even if her classes were in Overland Park and she's never even been to the main campus in Lawrence except for a football game. Worse, she's not even a fan.

Secondly, kcrazorback himself has a University of Kansas mini-MBA--which is not really a degree but it is branded Jayhawk. Not to mention the fact that we've lived almost our whole adult lives where Kansas is the closest major university.

So, it's a little bit of a stretch, but we're Jayhawks. Rock! Chalk! Jayhawk! KU!

the best wedding gift

2008-03-31T22:19:00.002-05:00

OK, this family story requires a lot of setup. Mrs. kcrazorback and I got married in 1989. We were way too young for such a crazy action. We got married on her graduation day from college (black gown in morning, white gown at night). After graduation, she would be unemployed for a few months and I would drive a delivery truck that summer making next to minimum wage. During the following school year, I was on a graduate teaching assistantship making a smooth $7200 (yes, that was a year's wage for me). Needless to say, we didn't have a lot that first year of marriage.

Meanwhile twin kcrazorback brother was not really getting rich either as he worked in a poultry processing plant in SW Arkansas.

Bride's home church had a shower for us and gave us an unbelievable number of towels and stuff. My home church had a shower for us and gave us a bunch of towels and stuff. Friends and family from all over gave us towels and stuff. Being a young couple that didn't have much, we really needed and appreciated all that we were given.

However, the very best gift that we were given came from the most unlikely source, my brother. I love him for doing the best he thought he could. But I don't know if he realizes that he was also providing what we really needed. You see, 19 years ago my brother didn't have much in the way of resources. But he could shop at the company store. So, for our wedding gift, he got us big bags of frozen chicken, bags of fajita meat, several Cornish game hens, boxes of frozen chicken nuggets (dixie fritters for those in the know), etc. My brother, in spite of his own poverty, fed this newlywed couple for months at the very time we most needed it.

My dear brother, thank you for your wonderful gift. I probably never communicated to you how much I really appreciated it. I doubt that I've ever given you a gift so valuable. You are a good friend and a great brother.

hp calculator newsletter

2008-03-26T22:11:00.003-05:00

For those of you interested in hp calculators, they have recently started a very good newsletter, HP Solve. Click here for the most recent version. This issue focuses on financial calculators with an offer of a 20% discount on the 12c. I have really been impressed with both issues so far and hope that they keep it up going forward. If this is your calculator brand (I can't believe it wouldn't be), be sure to sign up for a subscription to Solve.

He is risen

2008-03-22T22:34:00.005-05:00

I serve a risen savior, He's in the world today. I know that He is living whatever men may say...He lives, He lives. Christ Jesus lives today...You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart.

The old hymn is so true for me. I know He lives in my heart. My personal relationship with Him forces me to witness to a relationship with a living God.

But that's not all, I know that He lives because His resurrection satisfies all Old Testament prophecy. That's what "according to the Scriptures" means in "that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures" (I Corinthians 15:4)

I know that He lives because it satisfies what He said He would do.

I know that He lives because of the empty tomb.

All of scripture testifies to His living. Angels delivered the He is risen message. Thousands witnessed Him alive after the third day. There is no body in the tomb. Millions have given all for Him. My own heart sees Him.

The salvation I blogged about in Friday's post is possible because of the death. The Savior's power to save is illustrated by His conquering death.

He is risen.

have a good friday

2008-03-21T10:43:00.002-05:00

Today is Good Friday. In the Christian tradition, this is the day we recognize that Jesus died on the cross. If you aren't Christian, please keep reading anyway.

In giving his law, God describes Himself as a jealous God. He desperately longs for a people who obey Him. But people are human. We disobey. On that amazing Friday afternoon 1,979 years ago (plus or minus 5), He was satisfied. On that day, all of us who believe were brought into a relationship with the very God who so desperately longed for us.

Jesus longed for His people (Luke 13:34) in the same way.

Whether we knew it or not, we needed His amazing sacrifice.

For all parties involved, the terrible thing that happened that Friday afternoon so long ago was the best thing that could have ever happened. Our God and our Lord should never have had to make the sacrifice that He did. But I am so thankful that He did. He died for me. He also died for you. If you believe that, you are saved. If you don't, please let me study this topic with you. I will never force you to believe, but I'd love to share my story with you.

Have a wonderful Good Friday.