OK, am expecting the boys very shortly. Am giving them a tricky job this 
time, checking my weather station calibration (except the anemometer, as 
I don't have a standard-traceable means for that!).

There is a puzzle here regarding tin. As you know, the name Cyprus and 
copper are etymologically the same, because of the rich copper mines on 
the island. although which came first is unknown. The Copper Age started 
here and vast quantities of copper were exported in the form of 
skin-shaped ingots from the late Neolithic (c. 5500 BCE). The earliest 
bronze artefacts date from ~3300-3200 BCE and were developed ± 
simultaneously here, Egypt and Phoenicia. It is probable that the 
invasion of Cyprus by the Phoenicians date from between then and 3000 
BCE, for the copper, and the modern Cypriot is largely descended from 
them, as are most Levantines. Tin from Cornwall and Brittany was not 
known to have been exploited much before 2000 BCE, about the same time 
as the Phoenicians reached those necks of the woods and analyses of 
post-2000 BCE bronze produced here and elsewhere confirm the source of 
tin. The great unknown was where the tin came from before that time 
(most early bronze contained only <5% tin, so it was obviously in short 
supply).

For the anecdote, I recollect using a good rosin-cored solder wire from 
France with the brand name Tinia, no doubt named after the Etruscan god. 
I can't find anything about this brand on the 'Net.

Brian

On 10.05.2013 21:29, David D. Hillman wrote:
> Hi folks - Here is the Friday Element Quiz Answer:
>
> The Question:
> This element is listed in the Old Testament Book of Numbers as one of the
> 7 known metals. Supposedly, the Phoenicians sailed thru the Straits of
> Gibraltar and discovered an island source for this element in the Atlantic
>
> but kept the source a secret. The metallic form of this element is
> nontoxic but the organic form (compounds composed of carbon and
> hydrocarbons) are very toxic. What is the element is being described?
>
> Bonus Question: Name the pre-Roman Etruscan god associated with this
> element.
>
>
> The Answer:
> The element is Tin (Sn)! As for the Phoenicians, many historians believe
> that the island source was what we know today as Cornwall on the British
> coast (kudos to James Head for correctly guessing where). Organo tin
> compounds are very toxic and used in a number of fungicide/insecticide
> applications. For the bonus question, Etruscan god was Tinia who was the
> god of the sky and the equivalent of Greek Zeus.
>
> The winner of the weekly element quiz is Brian Ellis and he will get the
> services of Clumpy
> and Kloumpios for the Week. I got a text from the boys that they are
> catching a cargo flight to Brian's house today.
>
>
>
> So far Clumpy and Kloumpios have done the following:
>
> Past Quiz winners/tasks:
> Week 1 Dick Krug,  Spartan Complex Systems
> Week 2 Laura Turbini, IRC
> Week 3 James Head, Crowcon Detection Instruments Limited
> Week 3 Pat Goodyear, PGE
> Week 4 Joe Russeau, Precision Analysts Laboratory
> Week 5 Tom Carroll, Boeing Defense, Space and Security
> Week 6 Steve Gregory
> Week 7 Phil Kinner, PVA
> Week 8 Brian Ellis
> Week 9 James Head, Crowcon Detection Instruments Limited
>
> Week 10 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc.
> - assisted with a 5S effort - They're scrubbing, replacing old floor
> tape, and helping to get things in pristine shape.
>
> Week 11 Keith Calhoun, Sopark Corp
> - assisted with getting my boat ready for this summers fishing trips.
> Today we will be replacing a conveyor in
> one of my reflow ovens, then wave maintenance for the rest of the week.
>
> Week 12 Matthias Mansfeld, Mansfeld-Elektronik
> - They can really help me with my CAD library (big pile of datasheets on
> my desk, new stuff for these layouts). I'd give them a Cadstar crash
> course. If the library work is done or if they need a break, they can have
> much fun with our two cats. Later they could visit Munich.
>
> Week 13 Leland Woodall, CSTech Inc.
> - assisted with performing cross sections for the team this week.  If they
>
> finish early, I'm going to let them spend a couple of days fishing at the
> coast after our three day rain.
>
> Week 14 Brian Ellis
> - assisted with ????
>
>
> Everyone have a safe week!
>
> Dave Hillman
> Rockwell Collins
>
>
> ______________________________________________________________________
> This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service.
> For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask]
> ______________________________________________________________________
>

______________________________________________________________________
This email has been scanned by the Symantec Email Security.cloud service.
For more information please contact helpdesk at x2960 or [log in to unmask] 
______________________________________________________________________