tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82420946850244756662011-11-27T17:59:54.243-07:00The life and times of a homeschooling father of two - thoughts, stories, ideas, and links of interest.Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.comBlogger811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-77586901323657936282010-04-14T13:55:00.000-06:002010-04-14T13:55:57.147-06:00

It has been quite a while since my last post. I've been on a short hiatus because of some changes in our family situation. Specifically, I was offered a temporary contract position outside the house. The temporary situation, as it turns out, is more temporary than I had hoped. I had hoped for about two years worth of work, but the DoD contract has apparently been terminated earlier. The

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-89338762901016927392010-01-11T02:38:00.000-07:002010-01-11T02:38:45.283-07:00

Our children are too young to remember Chernobyl, the town destroyed by the worst nuclear accident to ever take place.  It is worth remembering; poor technology, dangerous tests of equipment, and human error created a situation that killed many and left a large area uninhabitable.  A government's attempts to disguise what had happened caused many more deaths.  This young lady takes us on a

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-53188214659156007162010-01-06T01:08:00.000-07:002010-01-06T01:08:45.038-07:00

Slinging.org has an array of interesting information on slings - you know, David and Goliath kind of stuff.  Young students and hunters may have an interest both practical and historical.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-35923142002740641722010-01-05T23:08:00.000-07:002010-01-05T23:08:28.785-07:00

One of the arguments students will encounter repeatedly is that of causation and correlation.  Whether the argument is about Anthropogenic Global Warming, or minority incarceration rates, or gun control, or smoking, or whatever subject, all too often students (and voters, and taxpayers) fall prey to this logical fallacy. The blog that this graph links to concerns drug discovery and the

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-60805385293477861512009-12-21T23:14:00.001-07:002009-12-21T23:40:04.281-07:00

Our science this year will include astronomy.  Nice, because it was a particular interest of mine (although my mathematical skills fell short when it came to advanced work).  The girls have an interest as well, in part because we have a telescope (similar to this, but without the computer assist): Unfortunately we lack the space to be able to keep it up and available, but we do set it up and

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-30678846510524399412009-12-19T00:42:00.003-07:002010-01-11T03:11:21.752-07:00

First is an enterprising gent who decided that building Stonehenge should be no big deal, as long as you have a bit of engineering know-how (and the family to cheer you on): When we were recently in Savannah, Georgia, I was fascinated by the size of the cargo ships that ran the river. Of course someone has to build them - not hard to picture. But getting them into the water... well, you

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-47536065982323846902009-12-18T00:45:00.000-07:002009-12-18T00:45:20.509-07:00

Still not meaning to get political, I intend this next example to be a warning about looking at data.  The fact is, anyone with an agenda can manipulate the presentation of data in this way.  Students need to know not only how graphs work, but how the data set can be presented to appear to be something other than it actually is.  This video examines a graph commonly used in AGW (Anthropogenic

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-26803259767826829422009-12-15T03:46:00.002-07:002009-12-18T00:45:56.324-07:00

Devoutly religious types are often accused of accepting faith over science.  I think it an unfair characterization; I find that most of the devout people I know are highly educated, and understand science as well or better than the average fellow.  Some may disagree with some current scientific theories, but have the historical perspective to understand that today's accepted science can become

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-68687719931192652912009-11-29T01:32:00.000-07:002009-11-29T01:32:03.165-07:00

We had a tremendous Thanksgiving this year.  We started the day with pastry and the Thanksgiving Day Parade.  The parade was pretty poor - too much promotion, not enough parade.  Then to church for Morning Prayer, and back home to get dinner ready. The turkey was started the night before.  We brined the turkey using a recipe from the Food Network.  Alton Brown is one of our favorites, and this

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-59319943431544046332009-11-20T23:29:00.000-07:002009-11-20T23:29:57.254-07:00

This delightful lady gives us some cooking lessons and stories from the Great Depression.  It can be difficult for our kids to understand just how severe the Depression was (and I hope and pray that they won't have to learn the hard way).   This gives one a taste of the experience.  Even without being in a Depression, learning to cook on the cheap frugally can be of great value.  We will

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-37081417540024512242009-11-12T22:44:00.001-07:002009-12-18T23:44:13.679-07:00

Slow motion photography and videography can reveal some very interesting phenomena.  Here we see a drop of water bouncing on a larger volume of water - an unexpected sight. This reaction reminds me of the Leidenfrost Effect; of course, the physics behind each is quite different. When one first sees such an unusual effect, being contrary to what one might believe would happen under such a

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-64873677533128048952009-11-11T23:17:00.000-07:002009-11-11T23:17:15.549-07:00

It is easy to explain to our kids, in a technical way, what Veteran's Day means. How do you capture some of the emotion involved? In this case, video can be a powerful tool.  This is a nice little visit to the Memorial with some WWII Vets.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-51128116853194205352009-11-09T01:33:00.002-07:002009-12-14T23:27:14.308-07:00

Ah well, travel followed by illness has delayed my posting again.  So, to return with a bang, how about a wonderful pasta dish. This is part of our Italian language coursework.  I decided that Italian would be a good language for study, and so a trip to the Italian market is a great start. The place to go?  Carmine Lonardo's in Lakewood.  They have a great little market, and make some of the

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-54378255401223806562009-10-14T21:43:00.003-06:002009-11-11T23:18:15.564-07:00

I like clouds. I find their shapes and formation beautiful and fascinating. I am not one who sees images in clouds - maybe I am not imaginative enough - but I do like spectacular clouds. In the days when I was a more serious photographer I usually incorporated clouds in my images. Tricky business, that. Sometimes clouds can add to the mood, sometimes distract from the subject. Here is an

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-33592653748739449332009-10-14T02:10:00.002-06:002009-10-14T03:08:00.062-06:00

Normally I am an optimist. However, there are times I get cynical - sometimes it seems there is so much drek out there that it is difficult to see the positive side of a story. This will be three posts in a row in which I point out the negative side of public education. I will post some upbeat pieces next. Meanwhile, here is another example of why we home school: the way in which history is

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-1850581638646134912009-10-10T23:19:00.004-06:002010-04-14T14:01:17.409-06:00

Thomas Sowell has an interesting comment on the recent problems we've seen in the schools. This link leads to Townhall.com, a fine political web site, but be warned that sometimes the readers comments can be rude and crude. I normally don't quote articles at any length, but this section is well worth it: The mindset that sees children in school as an opportunity for teachers to impose their own

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-1407358462527884492009-10-10T14:44:00.003-06:002009-10-10T15:46:10.330-06:00

It seems odd, but I have trouble working up some righteous anger over this - it has gone so far that it is now in the realm of being ridiculous. You may have seen the classroom video (since removed from YouTube) of children singing (chanting) their praises of our President. Well, really, they are singing what the instructors taught, as I truly doubt these young children would sing songs about

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-33623441680279797292009-09-14T02:03:00.006-06:002009-09-25T01:30:35.301-06:00

Man, what a month. Not much time to post new stuff - been testing the kids (standardized tests required by the State of Colorado, assessments for St. Thomas Aquinas Academy), been dealing with church-related stuff, and... well, we are now dog people. More on that later.Meanwhile, just to get back into posting... is that Alan?

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-11768442695759389782009-08-22T22:24:00.005-06:002009-08-23T01:24:10.146-06:00

An interesting site - not very pretty graphically, but it is, after all, a research site. University of Southampton received a grant to research medieval soldiery, and is compiling a database of profiles of soldiers of the time.More of interest to older, history-oriented students, I am sure, but another layer of our improving historical knowledge.And, yes, I was one of those geeky students. I

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-39812885817250456262009-08-19T02:01:00.003-06:002009-08-19T02:06:03.076-06:00

Simple lines conveying basic emotions:

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-70435615714009025622009-08-18T01:21:00.004-06:002009-08-18T01:47:04.443-06:00

Yeah, the Earth has craters. Big craters. Huge honking craters. So, this question can evolve into a lesson in astronomy, geology, and erosion, with some uber-cool pictures, and a book recommendation thrown in for good measure.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-14722773951974053942009-08-14T01:12:00.005-06:002010-08-23T23:16:20.706-06:00

The folks working at the FTC (Federal Trade Commission), having not much else to occupy their time, have decided that bloggers represent a clear and present danger to the safety and financial well-being of consumers throughout this land. As of this writing, they have not done much beside bluster, but I will take this opportunity to disclose all of the financial benefits I realize through this

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-21373338364046971172009-08-14T00:50:00.002-06:002009-08-14T01:03:19.841-06:00

OK, so I am not a car aficionado - if it runs, I drive it. If it breaks, with a few relatively easy exceptions, I take it to the mechanic. When I do work on cars, it is usually with the assistance of a series of expletives I would rather my children not hear.And knowing the terminology? Well, I think the doomaflogit is connected to the thingamabobber.But I do have a strong interest in things

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-53988035474778230562009-07-31T00:03:00.003-06:002009-07-31T01:35:38.548-06:00

In searching for an image of a volcano (you know how these questions arise during the school day), I came across this powerful image of a newly formed mountain:Contrast that with a classic figure of a volcano, Mt. Fuji:This was a great beginning to a discussion on geology, but the greater find was the website of Yann Athus-Bertrand. Primarily aerial images, he has some stunning photographs

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-71566755628699353002009-07-30T00:10:00.004-06:002009-07-30T00:43:10.700-06:00

For fans of medieval Europe and the Near East, this short look at walled cities is pretty interesting. The aerial photography is nice, there are old maps to peruse, and links to investigate further.By the way, this photo was taken by Klaus Leidorf - look at his site as well. It is not in the English language, but is easy to navigate, and has some superb photography.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-83131958439806368992009-07-19T22:20:00.002-06:002009-07-19T22:44:10.115-06:00

A neat little page crammed with a ton of information, SpaceWeather.com is well worth the trip. I first came across this site when looking for a report on sunspot activity (yes, I am one of those who believe the sun has more of an effect on Earth's climate than does my car). Well, there on the front page is an image of the Sun with the latest sunspot activity (none, as of this writing).Poke

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-25154555282911755592009-07-18T15:00:00.002-06:002009-07-18T15:05:15.537-06:00

Kind of cute, this poor fellow thought the judges threw him a rude word. His shock then relief is funny.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-31875711111615866672009-07-18T00:16:00.004-06:002009-07-18T02:17:55.310-06:00

Or is this more of a civics lesson?I start by reminding myself that this is not a political blog - and yet, I have to admit to varying degrees of upset and frustration as I see the current Congress and Administration move us rapidly down a disastrous road.To concentrate on one aspect of this disturbing push, the "debate" over the health care system provides a lesson that we do not have to glean

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-81472077229485283252009-07-11T22:24:00.002-06:002009-07-12T00:02:46.496-06:00

A very cool link to a project of the University of Nottingham called Sixty Symbols. Clicking on a symbol will give you an explanation of the symbol, and a professorial explanation of why the symbol and what it represents is important.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-77202584863276355352009-06-22T23:29:00.004-06:002009-06-23T01:46:33.423-06:00

For older students, the story of the Iranian election and the protests following may be fascinating. Living as we do in a country founded by revolution, one may try to find parallels here. For instance, an aspect seldom considered is the economic consequence of these protests. We see people marching in the streets (even though little information is allowed out of the country right now), we

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-56431961809594408972009-06-18T03:10:00.005-06:002009-06-18T03:16:47.819-06:00

Had a radiator hose blow out on my old Land Cruiser (not pictured below). Funny how far duct tape can get you as an emergency repair.I think that's why this image called out to me. Loose your roof on a Florida vacation? No problem! Thatch a roof from palm fronds. Plus, you have to love the way this dog rode for the whole trip. Uber cool!Click the image for the full size photo from Shorpy - a

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-35540903579641488732009-06-09T01:42:00.003-06:002009-06-09T01:52:53.856-06:00

For space fans (and most kids are fascinated by space) this is a cool look back in time - well, a relatively short time for some of us. This is the first image of the Earth taken from a lunar orbit. If I recall, the image was sent using technology similar to that used by fax machines - you can see the lines left from the printer.This is from Nasa's web site, which provides details about the

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-45518809926219174672009-06-04T00:41:00.004-06:002009-06-04T00:56:21.407-06:00

Well, one, at least. This is a nice story about two kids meeting a Supreme Court Justice while flying coach. Hey, do you think he would speak at our graduation? Nah... well, yeah!By the way, the story is great - the rude and sometimes racist comments that accompany the story are not fit for young ones. I wish NBC did a better job of filtering such comments.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-62147452146048528942009-05-30T23:36:00.004-06:002009-05-31T00:04:24.785-06:00

Kids seem interested in business. Whether spending part of the day with Mom at her job, learning how to work in a larger company, or wanting to help Dad with his small business, kids are interested in business.My oldest has been hounding me to help her start a business. Not yet eleven years old, I suspect that the business will be more work for Dad than for her. Yet, I want to cultivate that

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-30292766070504490252009-05-30T01:53:00.002-06:002009-05-30T02:01:59.989-06:00

My youngest always has another easy-to-answer question! With her talent for math, and her interest in how things work, I suspect we may have a budding engineer.Anyway, I've shown her a variety of YouTube videos on modern manufacture, some older newsreels (they tend heavily toward a pro-labor movement emphasis, not so much the actual assembly), and the like.Here is an interesting video about

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-26120099435256046152009-05-20T22:31:00.004-06:002009-05-21T12:37:35.026-06:00

The top winners of a contest sponsored by the Neural Correlate Society are presented on the American Institute of Physics web site - including a stunning visual demonstrating baseball's "Breaking Curve"!When I would hear announcers talk about the breaking curve ball, I knew that the ball could not suddenly change direction in mid course. Not being a player, I didn't understand what the pitcher

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-6977220481529697442009-05-05T19:35:00.002-06:002009-05-05T19:38:33.298-06:00

Not everyone can homeschool; vouchers are an alternative. This war on successful voucher programs may extend to homeschoolers in the future.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-37772624472552233132009-04-30T02:02:00.002-06:002009-04-30T02:27:07.020-06:00

I found this math-oriented site when looking for some information on isometric projection. My youngest was trying to draw a picture of a Popsicle-stick log cabin that she made. She was getting frustrated, and I showed her a free-hand method of 3-dimensional drawing. It wasn't clicking, so off we went to the internet to research. The site has some interesting flash games, activity packs, and

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-4686508274123146912009-04-30T01:48:00.002-06:002009-04-30T02:02:15.819-06:00

This short video is an interesting look at our federal budget, and the effect of cutting what one would think is a very large amount from that budget. Fact is, these numbers are so large that few can visualize how much money is involved, or how one huge number relates to another.The concept behind this visualization is the same used by the math program we use here (Math-U-See) -- use

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-77439719593650262312009-04-24T23:20:00.002-06:002009-04-25T03:19:54.776-06:00

I, Pencil is a great story of economics. Looking at a simple item every school kid knows, the author describes the intricate working of the market place that allows a pencil to exist. The point is made that no one person could make a pencil - the efforts of many, many people across the world, working in a co-ordinated manner not dictated by anything except enlightened self-interest, are

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-54851123575215640082009-04-14T18:32:00.004-06:002009-04-14T19:02:00.274-06:00

Early in our courtship I found my wife could defend herself. She studied a little Kung Fu, which helped, but more importantly she knew to stand up for herself, was aware of her surroundings, and was (and is) self confident. Sometimes she doesn't know when to back down (remind me to tell the tale of the drunk who was urinating in the bushes), but I normally feel confident she can protect herself.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-59387731843399906512009-03-22T22:55:00.006-06:002009-03-22T23:19:06.732-06:00

My daughter's little Nikon Coolpix 2100 has been a great camera, but the plastic latch that the battery door slides into broke. Nikon wanted $95 + shipping to repair the darn thing, which is more than we paid for it!This is the offending part - cheap plastic holding a spring-loaded door. A poor design, one which affects the 2100, 3100, and 3200 models - and one which Nikon changed in later

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-27675658495710921832009-03-22T22:14:00.003-06:002009-03-22T22:47:53.063-06:00

A side benefit of our recent trip to Monte Vista was the purchase of some nice potatoes, which happened to be purple in color. I thought of our upcoming Friday evening soup and bread supper at our Parish (this normally follows Evening Prayer, and precedes the Stations of the Cross). I thought it might be fun for the kids, and certainly it would be the proper liturgical color!The image above

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-38138898444470399002009-03-18T01:25:00.002-06:002009-03-18T02:35:53.979-06:00

Not normal home-school stuff here, but let me tell you a little story....We took a long weekend to drive down into the San Luis Valley in southern Colorado. Sandhill Cranes migrate through this area in the spring, and it is a sight to behold. Hundreds, perhaps even thousands of the birds in the fields and in the air. If you have never heard their call, check out this video.The festival is

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-18170930023319184732009-03-07T01:39:00.002-07:002009-03-07T01:44:02.149-07:00

Again, not a political blog, but I found this to be a telling comparison.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-48711732206384738632009-03-06T22:34:00.002-07:002009-03-07T01:08:43.677-07:00

I have committed to dancing at my daughters' recitals again this year. No, I am not a dancer - the instructor is patient, the dance fairly easy, and I pay attention, so I get by. Last year was a bit of James Brown (love the music, but I am as far from funky as you can get); the previous year was a Viennese Waltz to Chicago's Color My World.At any rate, with that in mind, I came across a superb

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-65904623077659418892009-03-05T21:58:00.002-07:002009-03-05T22:42:19.265-07:00

OK, another treat for those interested in mechanical devices - with an archaeological twist, as this mechanism is 2100 years old. It was designed to track cycles of the solar system, including eclipses, and as a bonus kept track of the four year Olympiad cycles. Read about its discovery and the amazing tools used to analyze the remaining fragments here.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-75235908368798654662009-02-20T13:27:00.003-07:002009-02-20T13:30:41.886-07:00

A great read on the various types of European armor.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-39575554414458203762009-02-19T23:37:00.002-07:002009-02-20T00:05:18.430-07:00

We are starting a study of Italian. We know a bit of Mandarin Chinese, and some phrases in French and German, but in starting our foreign language course we decided on Italian.I came across this site - not a comprehensive course by any means, but a neat little site with audio examples of pronunciation. Worth a look - and the links to music sung by Pavarotti and Bocelli are well worth the time

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-16923966584168733722009-02-18T21:30:00.002-07:002009-02-18T22:28:03.311-07:00

OK, this is a real treat. It is not as good as the print version, which of course has many fine images and maps, but this web site has the entire 1911 Edition of the Encyclopaedia Britannica on line, searchable by subject or alphabetically. The 11th Edition is considered by many to be the finest encyclopedia (to use the American spelling) ever published. Having it available in this format is a

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-10936018519959611512009-02-18T01:15:00.005-07:002009-02-18T02:02:05.282-07:00

The study of Dihydrogen Monoxide is vital for a solid understanding of the environmental disaster that awaits planet Earth. All home schooled kids should take some time to study this chemical, its effects on the environment, and the political ramifications of its continued use.I first heard of this problem when three University of California students outlined the danger of this pernicious

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-77334608310762727632009-01-25T21:14:00.003-07:002009-01-25T22:26:37.310-07:00

Just put a pile of money into my '83 Toyota Land Cruiser. This is one ugly truck - dented, rusted - in fact I bought it that way. I figured if I'm taking this up where I might bounce it off a rock or rub up against a tree, I would rather not be the first to dent it! That said, it runs, runs well, and gets me through deep snow and up mountain trails. My courage fails before it reaches it's

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-48052429570526190412009-01-21T22:52:00.003-07:002009-01-21T22:54:53.130-07:00

We attended the National Western Stock Show last night, and sat in on the Superdogs show. Tremendous fun, especially for our oldest, as she is helping her Grampa run his Golden Retriever through agility training. A highly recommended show, lots of fun for the family.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-74457729414512218892009-01-17T00:09:00.003-07:002009-02-18T22:28:03.312-07:00

This image gallery is titled "Death by Volcano", and while not gory, may not be for the tenderhearted. For those kids interested in the natural sciences, and for those fascinated by the destruction that can be unleashed upon man, this is a nice tour of four volcano-caused disasters, and of the world-wide implications of the larger explosions.My kids have two experiences with volcanoes. First

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-6025302729862376232009-01-16T23:53:00.004-07:002009-02-18T02:01:04.069-07:00

Took my oldest on a field trip today - Denver City and County Courts. We were able to watch about an hour of traffic court. I was surprised, but no major cases running on Friday afternoon. I guess that makes sense.It was interesting, and peaked her interest in knowing more about the courts, and government in general.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-85578360469415816222009-01-06T23:26:00.008-07:002009-02-18T02:01:04.069-07:00

A very important subject, one which I think gets short shrift in modern curricula, and one which is increasingly important, is basic economics. Many people roll their glazed eyes at the thought of subjecting themselves (or their kids) to some boring economics lecture or book.If you are younger than I (and many are) you may not know of Free to Choose, a wonderful book by Nobel Prize winning

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-26590338414579672922008-12-02T22:06:00.006-07:002008-12-02T23:54:05.726-07:00

The sad crying of my little girl. Momma's voice: "Go show Daddy, maybe he can help." A disaster in the making...On our recent vacation we forgot our camera. Rather than spend $10 - $15 each on a couple of disposables (plus $15+ per roll for developing and printing) I drove 40 miles to the nearest WalMart to buy an inexpensive digital camera.I know, this is a link to Amazon, not WalMart, but

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-26639030144231404572008-11-11T20:43:00.003-07:002009-02-18T02:02:05.283-07:00

For astronomy buffs, this series of images are remarkable. It shows your students the sun using a variety of imaging technologies. Well worth a look.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-54288014080266814212008-10-31T01:54:00.004-06:002008-10-31T02:18:30.247-06:00

Shorpy is a tremendous site featuring historical photographs. Click on the image above to take you to the site. The images are available as high definition .jpeg files, and you can even order prints if you like. This is a classroom in West Virginia, circa 1921. Want your kids to get a feel for school days back when? Are they reading the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, or the

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-52509107468523517562008-10-31T01:23:00.002-06:002009-02-18T02:01:04.070-07:00

Bah-da-da-dumBaby ain't got no motivation,Bah-da-da-dumShe ain't got no drive at all,Bah-da-da-dumShe's avoiding her schoolwork,ya know,She's gonna drive me up a wall, ohhh...Don't you know I got it, Honey,Yeah, I got the homeschool blues... ohh, yeah,When the kids are goofin' off, y'all,and I'm feeling lower than my shoes.-Homeschool Blues, by "Big Daddy" BellBeen fighting with the girls lately

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-58772631816101345962008-10-10T00:24:00.005-06:002009-02-18T22:28:03.313-07:00

For kids interested in mechanical devices, for kids interested in history and how dire circumstances can still bring remarkable innovation, for kids wondering how calculators worked before the era of solid-state circuitry...the Curta! Follow this link for some remarkable links on a page dedicated to this calculator. Scroll past the posters to find the good stuff.This is a remarkable piece of

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-73381110865785576552008-09-28T20:52:00.003-06:002009-07-31T00:02:36.147-06:00

Just back from 10 days in Idaho. We have a little cabin on the North Fork (or Henry's Fork) of the Snake River. About 20 miles by road from West Yellowstone, a little more than a mile from the Park border.When I say "we", I mean my parents own the cabin. It was my great-grandfather's cabin, circa 1930. He was a jeweler in Pocatello, and had this as a weekend/summer place. It is in Targhee

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-75021806950394294942008-09-07T23:52:00.002-06:002008-09-08T01:17:54.736-06:00

We had a lovely brunch at church following Mass this morning. Some gave short talks highlighting the various ways members of the congregation can help the Parish - Altar Guild, Flower Guild, service at the altar, cleaning, cooking - you name it. I know it is popular, and sometimes even mandated, for students to get involved in "community service". For church-going kids, however, it seems as

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-29565879312708884832008-09-05T02:08:00.003-06:002008-09-05T02:09:26.722-06:00

I don't know why, but I am having trouble with Blogger not allowing multiple links in a single blog. This is, therefore, a continuation of the previous post.For an introduction to Chinese cooking with a western flair, Tsai Ming had an interesting show on PBS. I particularly liked the curry/ginger oil he used on one show - adds great flavor without being overpowering. His DVD set is still

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-79703923637711762992008-09-05T01:19:00.011-06:002008-09-05T02:10:02.312-06:00

I did use a wok for yesterday's recipe. My wife and I were cooking with a wok well before our trip to China; being fans of Chinese food, we learned early on to cook our own. That said, the wok is really more versatile than many people think.This is the wok I use - carbon steel, it does need to be seasoned and hand washed. Once seasoned, it provides a non-stick surface that rivals any

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-11446176488447514262008-09-03T23:48:00.004-06:002008-09-04T01:14:37.325-06:00

Alright, pretty exiting topic, right? Believe it or not, this is one of my girls' favorite meals. Easy to put together, cheap (a big plus), tasty, and if you have a young one who doesn't eat her veggies (like our youngest), you can sneak 'em past her!I keep a few odd items on hand for this dish, but they are not essential. If you happen to have an Asian grocer near by, or a very well-stocked

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-50683305047655313292008-09-02T00:50:00.003-06:002009-02-18T02:01:04.071-07:00

We are gearing up for the new school year. First and Fifth grades. This year we are going to use St. Thomas Aquinas Academy again. We used them in First and Second grades, and I think their curriculum recommendations are spot on.Homeschooling is more challenging, as my oldest wants to only work on those items of interest to her. It is like pulling teeth to get her to work on a variety of

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-79183123501125679722008-08-21T00:02:00.006-06:002008-08-29T23:44:54.556-06:00

I have some nominal ability to effect repairs around the house. Electrical work, however, has been something up with which I shall not put (paraphrasing Churchill). Recently, when our microwave oven died after plugging a radio into an outlet, I called an electrician for help. This happening on a weekend, the service wanted a credit card number for the "emergency service fee". I told them that

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-89514875326101090782008-08-20T22:03:00.003-06:002008-08-20T23:51:38.749-06:00

Yes, a blatant plug. Full disclosure - I (through my company, Camera Collectors, Inc. am an affiliate of Calumet Photographic. A new relationship, I hope they can supply items my customers may want, but that I cannot supply. With luck, I may make a buck or two as well.That said, they are offering free shipping on iPods. My older daughter loves hers, and I was sufficiently impressed I may

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-8756841355940317772008-08-19T00:50:00.004-06:002008-08-21T01:33:45.837-06:00

And now, for something completely different.... Technochicken!Who has this much time on their hands?

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-80109282186707237542008-08-18T23:54:00.004-06:002008-08-19T00:49:34.519-06:00

And I'm not referring to the ugly mug my kids see during their home school lessons. No, this was an unfortunate (but fortunately rare) lesson in human nature.An acquaintance of my older daughter was creating a ruckus in the parking lot between several buildings in our townhouse complex. An owner (middle aged woman) came out to holler a complaint. She was obviously already in a bad mood - who

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-33666726139740177442008-08-14T01:46:00.003-06:002008-08-21T01:34:21.694-06:00

Here is the problem with a blog - I don't write consistently. Lots of fun this last week, though.We finally made the home-made cheese referenced below. It was fun, and I figure it counts as home economics and chemistry. It needs a little something - a great texture, but a little bland. I think with a little garlic, maybe some herbs, it will be delightful. Next step, aged cheese!

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-91684471769378148812008-07-28T23:01:00.003-06:002008-07-28T23:17:53.756-06:00

Much has been said about the anniversary of the first child born as a result of in vitro fertilization. My wife and I went through a series of fertility treatments, including in utero fertilization, but fell into that category of infertility known in doctor-speak as "I dunno".The result of our long journey is our two daughters. While this response to an article on National Review Online does

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-63140778968507075642008-07-17T01:17:00.006-06:002008-07-17T03:05:20.166-06:00

Sometimes when feeding the kids it can be helpful to make a meal a bit interesting. This doesn't have to be a major project. For instance, this simple arrangement (shown before the corn dogs were added to the plate - yeah, a real gourmet meal) is easy, but got a rating of "Cool!" from the girls.Now, before you get the idea I think I am a presentation genius, I should direct you to some real

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-71255763915817641482008-07-16T00:32:00.005-06:002009-02-18T02:02:05.284-07:00

Very interesting set of videos on the different periodic elements. British professor, enthusiastic lab assistants, and some exciting experiments (sodium is a natural). Our 5th grader was somewhat interested; our 1st grader bored after the first glance ("Is that a wig?" was the remark on seeing the professor's wild mane). I think it is neat!

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-38211040481270050112008-07-15T00:10:00.003-06:002008-07-15T00:31:54.716-06:00

This is an interesting link to a description (and pictures) of some of the deadliest plants known. Some important information, especially since some of these are decorative plants readily found. Our youngest just returned from a trip to Idaho, along the Snake river. There are plants growing in the marshlands that are quite poisonous, and that yield seed pods that look deceptively like pea pods

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-66076843998293677092008-07-14T23:56:00.003-06:002008-07-15T00:10:36.935-06:00

Our youngest daughter just returned from an eight-day trip with her grandparents. She is an adventurous type, and aside form some slight homesickness (and a bit of disobedience that caused Grandma second thoughts) she did quite well. Got to spend some time with my sister and her husband, who live at a distance, and some time with distant cousins, and even rode a horse. Her sister has made this

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-9858012122063411082008-07-04T02:33:00.003-06:002008-07-14T23:55:58.098-06:00

OK, one more video. I am not a huge baseball fan, but almost anyone can appreciate (and enjoy) this tremendous, unbelievable save.

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-82908360253389596042008-07-04T01:05:00.008-06:002008-08-29T23:38:18.486-06:00

My girls invited two of their friends over this evening. It has been in the planning for a week. The four girls (ranging in age from twelve to six) fixed a very impressive dinner for the two sets of proud parents.My girls have been interested in cooking since they could sit on the counter and help us make meals - pouring, stirring, whatever they could do to help. As they get older, they do

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-69727470240673912702008-07-03T00:30:00.004-06:002008-07-14T23:54:28.396-06:00

Here are two videos. The first is just for fun. I am no fan of rap, hip-hop, and the like (my girls are not allowed to enroll in hip-hop lessons), but this is a fun video. The music is innocuous, the footage is vintage - no misogyny, cursing, drug use... it is just fun.This next video is a result of my error - that is, I told my inquisitive ten-year-old that cheese can be made easily. So

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8242094685024475666.post-55220813770293480372008-07-01T10:34:00.005-06:002008-07-16T01:10:44.037-06:00

My wife and I have been having an ongoing discussion about dance and gymnastics. Our oldest girl is ten, and a very fine dancer. She seems to have a natural talent for it. Our youngest is six, and has a talent for gymnastics. They both are involved in each, but the ten year old has been invited to participate in a competitive dance group, and the six year old has been invited to participate

Kevin M. Bellhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03075011779215747762noreply@blogger.com0