Survey: Homeschoolers new political force
It makes sense that homeschooling turns out better students ... after all, consider it in these terms: does a student who can afford a private tutor fare better academically than a kid in a crowded classroom? But what major critics of homeschooling argue is that the kids don't end up properly socialized - they aren't well-schooled to be good citizens. This study refutes that - resoundingly.

Reading problems in children linked to TV
Kids who watch a lot of TV have a harder time learning to read. That's the upshot of a recent study by the Kaiser Family Foundation. This should be self-evident, but what the heck. Every nagging reminder helps.
The report doesn't say TV is all bad, though, and allows that TV and computer time can be learning time - with the right parental involvement.
“Watching TV is far inferior to playing with toys, being read to or playing with adults or talking with parents,” said Dr. Henry Shapiro, chairman of developmental and behavior pediatrics at the American Academy of Pediatrics. “Watching TV without a parent is a junk experience, especially for young children.”
I imagine, that if you have to watch The Wiggles with junior, it's likely he won't be watching six hours in row.

First Visit to the Midwives for Little Sofia or Little Gabriel
This afternoon Kristen, David and I went up to Dartmouth-Hitchcock to for Kristen's first prenatal checkup. We visited with one of the midwives and she gave us our due date - May 22 - just as Kristen had calculated. The new baby is about nine weeks old. Here's an image of what she or he looks like.

How Prayers Poll - Myths About Religion and Politics
Slate's Steven Waldman looks at some commonly held misconceptions about how the religious vote, how they identify themselves, and in what party exactly we might find religious "extremists."