We are true fans of The Simpsons here, but these people take the cake.

First, I salute those who got past the headline and are now reading this.

Sara has requested our comments on an article on how a Quantum computer gives results without running at Science News Online. I am not a physicist, but as I understand it, the author is playing semantic tricks on you, the reader.

Wave-Particle Duality is the quantum mechanical term for saying that any given particle (such as the photons mentioned in the article) is also a probability wave, which can travel in multiple directions at once until it is nailed down by an observer (in this case, the computer itself). This means that a single photon is both going through the computer and around it. While it will never appears to do both (the probability wave collapses on observation), it’s not exactly true to say that if the photon is observed to have gone around the computer, it didn’t also go through it as well.

Fun stuff. Later I’ll post why wave-particle duality will always have a special place in my heart.

The NerdFamily is just beginning it homeschool journey. I believe abstractly that homeschooling is the best choice you can make for your children. I also abstractly believe that moms should all stay home. That does not mean I believe that these are the right choices for everyone. I also believe that these choices look different for everyone. I stay home full time but also sell Pampered Chef and am starting a business with NerdDad doing a couple websites. I do not feel that I am abandoning my children. In the same vain, I was in public school and I turned out fine(ok, at least I am not completely nuts;). If my mom would have homeschooled me one of us might not have lived to tell the tale. I say all this to let you know where I am coming from.

This year we are doing preschool with the NerdBug in sorts. I say in sorts because we are not keeping attendance records or anything that formal. FYI, you legally don’t have to begin schooling your child(or have them schooled by others) until they are 6. So as we go through this adventure I will try to journal(or blog) on it. Part of the fun of homeschooling is that you do not really do it alone. I have a few friends at church that also home school their kids. I have also joined a couple Yahoo groups just to keep myself informed and to get recommendations.

In these groups I was alerted to 2 articles, one on CNN and one on BusinessWeek. I guess that we are cooler than we thought. According to the CNN article, homeschooling is the fastest growing sector in the US education system. In Business Week they talk about this movement growing among the intellectual elite and the white collar sector. Homeschooling is no longer seen as a compound living, back woods, extremist Christian way of life. People of all walks of faith and politics now(or at least willing to declare in public) homeschooling. The most conservative estimates put this population at 1.1 million but some say almost 2 million. Even if homeschooling is not your thing, I recommend reading these articles.

I took the Simpson’s personality test. I admit it, I am a Simpson’s fan(old ones, not new ones).

You Are Lisa Simpson

A total child prodigy and super genius, you have the mind for world domination. But you prefer world peace, Buddhism, and tofu dogs. You will be remembered for: all your academic accomplishments Your life philosophy: “I refuse to believe that everybody refuses to believe the truth”

Now I admit if I answer just a little more sarcastically I am Burns. Kind of scary. Thanks Sara over at Reckless Abandon for the site!

Many reasons. Here’s a few. If most college students

could not interpret a table about exercise and blood pressure, understand the arguments of newspaper editorials, compare credit card offers with different interest rates and annual fees or summarize results of a survey about parental involvement in school,

then we can stop teaching our kids at about 9 years old!

They do if you put them in a house that you’re selling. Here’s a short list of home improvements and the value they add to a house at Sound Money Tips.

Hat tip to LifeHacker.

OK, I admit it I love ballroom. That is even though NerdDad won’t go take lessons with me. I have always loved this kind of stuff. I even watch the competitions on PBS. So you would think that I would be glued to Dancing with the Stars. Well.. you would be partially right. I don’t watch the first few weeks(at least not religiously). I get embarassed for the really bad dancers(can you say Master P). So I started watching pieces a few weeks ago. I am not sure how Jerry Rice beat out Lisa Rinna to begin with. Then we get to the final 3 and Stacy is eliminated? I couldn’t believe it. She is amazing and quite literally “legs up to here” (42 inches according to Parade). I do feel that Drew was a logical choice, so I guess in the end it all worked out;).

Between this, Ballroom Bootcamp(on TLC) and the new movie, Take the Lead, is Ballroom going to resurface. I propose that it has never died. There is an under 13 competition and it goes up from there(though I don’t believe in little kids dancing like that). I think tv is just catching up!

In the light of the cartoons depicting Mohammed and all the hubbub, I have done some thinking. The Indonesian government spokesman said: “Freedom of expression cannot justify indignity toward a religion” (The Jakarta Post, Feb. 4). I have also heard the phrase that the freedom of speech should be tempered with responsibility. I believe this but in a totally different way. You are responsible for your sppech and expression. Let me expound further.If I had been the author of the cartoons, I would have been responsible for the fact that doing the cartoons communicated my lack of respect for Islam. Christian musicians realize that they are saying that they belive in Christ and the message behind their music. Unfortunately, Hollywood doesn’t appear to always believe in standing behind their own expression. While Michael Moore believed in the message of Farenheit 911 his actions don’t show it. If I believe the nation I lived in was so lacking in morals, traitorous to its own people I would have to leave. Why live in a nation led by people you hate(and a populous who supports them) and not leave when you have that choice.
Now there is a Turkish movie called Valley of the Wolves(trans)with some American actors parttaking in this anti-American propaganda. Here is an abrisged description from the Telegraph.

Valley of the Wolves, by the Turkish director Serdan Akar, shows crazed American GIs massacring innocent guests at a wedding party and scenes in which a Jewish surgeon removes organs from Iraqi prisoners in a style reminiscent of the Nazi death camp doctor Joseph Mengele.

Now I do not have a problem with propaganda that I don’t agree with(sticks and stones make break my bones but cartoons and movies will never hurt me) but I don’t want those actors who participated to come home. Taken from GOP Vixen:

In addition to Billy Zane, who played the dissed boyfriend in “Titanic,” the film stars former star Gary Busey as that evil doctor, frequent TV and bit actor Spencer Garrett as the journalist, and Huntington Beach native and “ultimate fighter” Tito Ortiz as a lieutenant. Makeup and hair was done by Lynda Armstrong, who has worked on many films including “Troy” and “Die Another Day.” Special effects coordinator was Mark Meddings, a Brit who also did “Kingdom of Heaven” and “Beyond Borders.”

If they believe in the message of this film, why do they wish to live in the US? Say what ever you want but you must live up to what you say. Now we all say things that we don’t mean but them you need to apologize and admit it. If not, live in Turkey.

I have seen information on Jewish artist Matisyahu on 2 different blogs that I read and I had to finally check it out. I first saw this on Yonah Wolf’s Confessions of an Orothodox Dad and I became curious. I didn’t actually do anything until I saw it on Ethos. So I cruised over to Matisyahu’s homepage and I have to say that I liked what I heard. I watched the new Youth video and it was positive and of good musical quality.
And here is the cd

Now you must remember I am a conservative that likes good wholesome rap and that is in small quantity. I also will be on the lookout for this and other artists being put out by JDub Records. I love this description of the type of artists they are looking to sign:

JDub is always looking for new artists and new music. Whether you are religious or secular, Jewish or non, if you consider your music to be Jewish or Jewishly influenced, we want to hear it!

I am sure that I have confused some of the readers who are out there and don’t know me personally. I will explain my Jewish fascination in a later post. But, I do believe the Church on whole might want to get behind music like this. It isn’t Christian but it is based on our core values(that is where we got them;). This music overall promotes a positive message and movement.

My last word…It isn’t TobyMac but it is pretty good.

PS. For more good rap/hiphop check out , it is a favorite in the NerdFamily!

Here is the ultimate touch for a female Tech Geek. It is an earring for your earphone. The beauty of this is that your earring won’t get tangled in the earphone cord. This is being produced by a company in Japan so I figure it won’t be that long before we see them here in the States.See them here but the site isn’t in english.
(via BoingBoing)