Making progress
Rob Gardner participates in a "grid raising"--a week-long collaborative exercise that results in the creation of a new computing grid. "What I find interesting about the process is the community spirit that develops among the people working on the project...Something semi-magical happens when people, normally known only as a voice on a teleconference or salutation in an email materialize in person and are available for the quick consultations when the questions come."

A relieved Caolionn O'Connell finally finishes a draft of the 10-page abridged version of her thesis. Although her advisor seems to love it, she writes that the result is a bit "depressing because you know how much work went into the single word 'optimize' and as much as you would like to relive every painful little detail for the pity points from your reader, you know no ones really cares."

Making a difference
Anuj Purwar raises $200 for earthquake victims in Pakistan by auctioning off an Indian dinner for four at a local silent auction. Yum!

Ursula Bassler laments that more physicists weren't recruited to participate in the impressive array of French World Year of Physics activities, including "exhibits, theater, dance, physics and art, initiatives in schools, science buses, etc." She writes, "Those who became active for the WYP did so with an enormous amount of personal engagement, time and whatever means they could get. Wow! I think they deserve a big 'thank you' for what they did! On the other side, I am convinced that their are still many physicists around that might want to participate in such actions, but miss a little incitation to do so."