Quantum Computers

I've been holding off on blogging this one... apparently some guys in Canada have a working quantum computer.

WOW is all I can say... if it works, it'll be 20 years early.

Here's a link to a blog describing some of the hardware

Fortunatly the demo will be posted online for us to view tomorrow. A 16 bit Quantum computer should be able to process 65,536 operations simultaneously. I'm not even sure how one developes "software" for such a thing anyway - it's not programatic at all, merely statistical.

Strangely for me, the description of piloting The Heart of Gold (from Adam's Restaurant at the end of the universe) is quite a decent explanation of how quantum computers work from the laymen perspective.

What's really incredible here is that they claim to be able to solve a particular subset of NP complete problems based on the Ising statistical model. NP complete problems are the problems that no computer can solve efficiently - like how to schedule 300 airline flights a day in the most efficient manner. How to price a product across markets to maximize profits.

It's easy to verify the solution (you make money hehehe), but computing the solution takes forever. An example, what two prime integer numbers multiplied provide this solution:

18819881292060796383869723946165043980716356337941
73827007633564229888597152346654853190606065047430
45317388011303396716199692321205734031879550656996
221305168759307650257059

Easy Right? I mean, it's just two numbers you multiple and get that answer. Any computer should whip that out in a jiffy... Yeah..., um... NO.

I don't believe that this particular device will solve such problems, but if it does, or a cousin pops in next year - you can kiss SSL away (Yeah, as in HTTPS, as in your online bank, ebay, amazon. Also, don't forget PGP, and RSA digital signatures)

RSA - which SSL uses - depends on exactly the same problem to protect the keys used to secure your credit card through a symetric cypher. There are alternatives - but they're not nearly as easy and conveinient.

In my doomsday analysis - quantum computing is really the equivelent of the Internet A bomb - it makes the data security equivelent of rifles, tanks, and submarines into toys when applied to the right problems. But just like Oppenheimer, what scientist WOULDN"T want the chance to play with such a device?

Perhaps pandora's box is more suitible.

Happy New Year!!

The Christmas cards we wanted to send are now Happy New Year cards we want to mail by the end of this week.

Yowsers! Time sure does fly!

So does Mr. CD... 2 trips lately

I got on a plane for the first time since '99
What a weird thing it is for *everyone* to walk through security barefoot.
Things that make you go hmmm.

Good news abounds

-Molly the goat expecting a kid any day now
... home milking should be an adventure!
-Baby Dog is now officially Big Dog with a Real Name
...My, how that puppy has grown!
-School back in swing with
...2 reading and math whizzes
...one preschooler
...2 tag-a-longs
-The babies are going to turn 2 this year!
...UNBELIEVABLE Did I mention time flies?
-Card business running full steam ahead
-Blogged on other interests
...in hiatus, scheduled to resume during Lent
-Going to have a huge "garage sale" soon

Got back in touch with several friends, hoping to do more of that this year!

end of the state of conviviality address

Want a glass of milk?

Watch this First (~ 10 Minutes )

Kindof old news (1998?).. but it re-confirms what we already know - lying to the public is not an issue. I'm not totally surprised - I'm just surprised to hear it so simply and factually laid out from the news corporation's own employees that 'profit is truth.'

And before you play the "Fox news" card - take a look at the Amicus Curiae. Lots of news companies chipped a quarter in the bucket.

Gregorian - Heroes (Live at MDR)

Video WARNING

The video I posted below
SHOULD NOT BE WATCHED ANYWHERE IN THE VACINITY of CHILDREN

You have been warned

Also, last year, B had a classmate with one very clever Mommy.
The Mommy told her daughter that flipping the bird means, "I DON'T LOVE GOD!"

Ain't it the truth!

S

Children Learn What They Live

Children Learn What They Live


I'll admit, the first two got me a bit, being a communication junkie and smoker, but the rest of them...

It reminds me of a plaque my Mom had when I was little:


CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

It also reminds me to get to know people before prejudging their behavior.

We have a lot of this video going on in my little town.

My Christmas prayer will be for peace, and love, to permeate our town this and every year.

May peace and love take root, as the mustard seed. May the children affected by anger, pain, greed, despair, and poverty of all kinds be blessed. May they recognize that the faculty and staff at their school love them deeply and unconditionally.

Video hat tip to Gerard. To him and his lovely wife, I say:

There is a need for you and others like you everywhere. God bless you in your endeavors!

Adeste Fideles going LIVE in 5,4,3,2...

Well, not really. The start date for the relaunch of our Catholic greeting and gift company is slated for Epiphany, 2007. That is a season, rather than a date, so it gives me a little wiggle room to get groovin'.

However, our homepage is up.

Also, the Cafe Press site I've been lettin languish for nearly 3 years is decked out for Christmas.

That means there are really cool things for you to purchase LOL

Nah, you don't have to buy anything, but if you like what you see, please spread the word!

Sales now might just mean a trip to the Catholic Marketing Network Convention next month in Birmingham Alabama!

If we don't make it next year, we're definitely going in '08!

So... pray for us! We've been trying to pull this together since before we knew we were expecting #3.