iPhone Apps For Jumping Monkeys
Monday, August 4, 2008 at 12:33AM 
Megan and Leo had me run down a few of the iPhone apps that have been running interference with my four-year-old while we're busy sipping Chabornet. They are:
For my part, I'm enjoying the Facebook and PayPal apps, Mobile Fotos (aka Mobile Flickr; "Nearby" is super-cool), Dial Zero, and Shazam.
Lawyer Dads: There Or Square?
Tuesday, July 22, 2008 at 10:56AM
My colleague Vivia Chen at The American Lawyer wrote this month that more male lawyers are taking paid paternity leave when their kids are born. Undeniably good news.
But what happens when their 2 or 4 or 6 weeks of leave is up? As they put it at building a better legal profession,
many attorneys, particularly but not only female attorneys, internalize the billable hour standards of the workplace, sometimes letting it become the standard by which they live their personal lives. but lawyers that view children's birthday parties, a social dinner, and other personal events as 'costing' them two or three hours away from work risk alienation and isolation from friends, family, and the community. the constant pressure to think, "i could be billing" is deeply troubling to lawyers seeking a fulfilling personal life.
Is the legal work place really changing, or are law firms putting a high-profile band-aid on a chain saw wound? Why are lifestyle issues inevitably "women's issues?" Do men care about work life balance? Are they achieving it? Is the paternity leave stigma really gone? What about men availing themselves of part-time schedules for family reasons? What is the long-term career impact of such a choice?
I'm working on a column along these lines and would appreciate hearing any thoughts you may have, in the comments or by email. Further discussion spaces in Facebook.
Sweeping The Nation
Saturday, July 19, 2008 at 11:47AM In Paris, they have Treaxy:
Here, we have Elaine:
My Twittersphere Is Teeming With Physics Geeks
Thursday, July 3, 2008 at 5:50PM 
What started out as a discussion/bet with my husband this morning shed some light on just how seriously geeky my Twitter followers are, God love all of them/you. Read on. (Complete with hilarious Star Wars reference in response to Question 2.)
Question 1: Does electricity travel at the speed of light? (He thought yes; I thought it was more complicated than that. I'm right. ;).)
Responses:
kevinmarks: @dhowell electrical signals in a cable travel around a third the speed of light. Particle accelerators get small masses close to lightspeed.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:33 PM
symtym: @dhowell re electricity more, the speed of light (c) expressed in relationship to the absolute value in vacuo, 300,000m/s, Cu gets 99.9% c
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:32 PM
symtym: @dhowell re: electricity, must distinguish electrons (generate EM field) from photons (carry EM field, near speed of light) http://is.gd/LrJ
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:27 PM
RoudyBob: @dhowell Not exactly but very close. Speed of light measured in a vacuum is faster than an electromagnetic field moves thru matter (wire)
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 10:05 AM
cherot: @dhowell Electricity is slower in wire, light slower in glass.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 9:48 AM
dangillmor: @dhowell depends on the conductor.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 9:28 AM
Sibby: @dhowell speed of light is a constant. Electricity varies with the medium it is traveling.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 9:24 AM
pcubed: @dhowell Sorta. Particle medium of the electromagnetic force is the photon. Force of electrons b/w each other moves at C. dm me 4 more info.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 9:23 AM
extra_ketchup: @dhowell electricity travels fast but electrons have mass and thus cannot reach C.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 9:22 AM
Question 2: Besides electricity, does anything else move at or near light speed?
Responses:
ChrisMcKinney: @dhowell Radio
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 2:25 PM
chipthamac: @dhowell a pulse of light that enters a transparent chamber filled with caesium gas reaches speeds 300 times the normal speed of light.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 2:11 PM
cherot: @dhowell XRays
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:53 PM
symtym: @dhowell other things at "c," the wiggle answer — any massless object can get up to c in vacuo http://is.gd/Lsg
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:42 PM
pcubed: @dhowell No, acc. to Sp. Relativity faster u go more massive u become. Moving at C = infinite mass. Small stuff goes fast-ish (Neutrinos eg)
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:40 PM
Peloden: @dhowell Things that travel at the speed of light — light; electromagnetic waves in a vacuum.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:36 PM
(Not just a figment of Next Generation writers' imagination, apparently!) TomRaftery: @dhowell Tachions!
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:36 PM
(Best response award winner!!!) stresa: @dhowell The Millenium Falcon made the Kessel Run in less than 12 parsecs....she can make 0.5 past lightspeed.
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:34 PM
redragon: @dhowell black hole
Thu, Jul 3, 2008 1:30 PM
I also gave ChaCha a bite at these questions via its mobile service (text any question to 242242 and get an answer back in minutes). Its/their (ChaCha is human-powered) answers are here (electrons = mass = no light speed) and here (perhaps gravity). Now back to your regularly scheduled programming...