Hi gang! Wow, with folks like my TechNet friends, I'll need to start avoiding cameras! That photo is from a wonderful SMTA meeting that Graham Collins organized and I was privileged enough to participate in. And for the holiday season: Doug Paul's is very much a poet and as I know he is too shy to post this but I believe it is a true "TechNet" Xmas card. He put this together several years ago and I think it brings a holiday chuckle to everyone. I have requested he direct his poem talents at the topic of lead-free solder some time soon. Happy Holidays! "A Consultant's Week" I sit at my desk, all covered in paper IPA and a match, I know I've felt safer Now that its Friday, I'm feeling so glad Let me tell you about the week that I've had My publisher called Monday, said my columns too wordy Cut down the length from 4000 to 430 "Whole forests die every time you start typing" My staff falls down laughing, me silently griping I go an odd phone call, a man name of Leon He said "Golly gee, I can't see to find Freon" I kept my voice level and tried not to sneer "They stopped making the stuff 'round the end of the year" "Then I've got a problem", I prepared for a session Of what promised to be a fun set of questions I asked of the man, before addressing his fears "What island have been living on these past 5 years?" Four hours later, his course now was clear I hung up the phone, now deaf in one ear Sat back in my chair and wished for a beer 15 voice mails were pending, better shift to high gear The next call I has was a true conflagration A fire had started from metal migration I did lots of testing, and in a real hurry To find out the reason his boards grew so furry I privately thought "What a bunch of dumb clucks" Forgetting to clean off that bad HASL flux "Not so" said the fool, as he puffed out his chest "My Ionograph says my boards are the best" I rolled my eyes, put a hand to my head These were the talks that I'd come to dread So I launched myself into a standard speech four Two hours later - my voice gone, my throat sore I log onto TechNet and read through the postings Potatoes the topic - molten solder for roasting Solder mask problems and problems with plating Cupples expounding, Hillman orating A whole week like this, with topics diverse Some talks went much better, some talks went much worse Zinc chlorides as no cleans, "is masonite clean?" Potting with tar so no defects are seen White residue questions, defects no one can see How do you qualify to JSTD-1B? Leads that won't solder, black solder joints How to spell "SIR" (that got bonus points!) Converting to no cleans - "I've got all this week!" For my 50 products what one flux to seek Reports to be written, explanations are made "Write for my boss, who graduated third grade" How to do this, how to do that Solving 10 problems at the drop of a hat You wold not believe the things that I hear Its a dream job for this engineer Merry Christmas All Y'all (the proper plural for Y'all) Author: Sir Doug "It Depends" Pauls, 1996 Dave Hillman Rockwell Collins [log in to unmask] Mornin' all! Graham Collins sent me a email and attached a picture of Dave Hillman at their SMTA meeting, so it's posted here: http://stevezeva.homestead.com/DaveSeptSMTA.jpg Graham said he WAS in the picture, but he said it wasn't him that's talking to Dave. He gave me a hint and said that he's not facing the camera. Well, there's a lot of guys in the picture not facing the camera, so that wasn't much of a hint... Maybe one of you out there knows Graham and can point him out. Steve Gregory -----Original Message----- From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2007 5:30 AM To: Steve Gregory Subject: RE: [TN] Happy Christmas with photo's Hey Steve! If we are tormenting people with pics, here's one of Dave Hillman at our SMTA chapter formation meeting... he was kind enough to come visit and talk about lead-free, we made him drink Pepsi - which is apparently a hanging offence in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Merry Christmas! regards, - Graham Collins -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Gregory Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 5:49 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: [TN] Happy Christmas with photo's Hi Doug! Got your picture up! It's here with Doug's description: http://stevezeva.homestead.com/Chris_and_Doug_in_Amana.jpg Steve, Here is one that I like better. This is Dr. Chris Hunt of NPL and I when he and Graham visited us in September. Here you have an American and an Englishman discussing life over a German beer. Truly diplomacy at its best. Doug Pauls Steve Gregory P.S. I took a little liberty with some converstaion ballons...(tee-hee) ________________________________ From: [log in to unmask] [mailto:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 3:19 PM To: TechNet E-Mail Forum; Steve Gregory Subject: Re: [TN] Happy Christmas with photo's I just want it down for the record that Graham started this international incident. Yes, add a red hat and coat and I would be in season. I did just that for my Cub Scout Pack on Monday night. Sadly, I did not have to put additional stuffing in the coat. I actually have a better one to send in. And the really fun ones of Graham might be sent in, provide on how large a bribe I get to keep them off the net. Doug Pauls Steve Gregory <[log in to unmask]> Sent by: TechNet <[log in to unmask]> Hi Graham! Ive got your pictures up! The first one is here: http://stevezeva.homestead.com/TechNetter_Dinner.jpg This shot from left to right is: Graham's son Andrew Naisbitt, Doug Pauls, Bev Christian, Greg Alexander, Chris Hunt, Dave Hillman and, Graham Naisbitt. The next one is here: http://stevezeva.homestead.com/Dave_Hillman.jpg His future is so bright, he's gotta wear shades! The next one is here: http://stevezeva.homestead.com/Doug_Pauls.jpg Boy, that's some snazzy hat! Put a red coat one, and a white beard, he would be right in season! Here's the last one that I added. It's a group photo of all of us at work, you should be able to pick me out...I put a little star above my head. http://stevezeva.homestead.com/OAI_Group.jpg Happy Holidays to all of you! No more Ice Storms!!! Steve Gregory -----Original Message----- From: TechNet [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Graham Naisbitt Sent: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 8:25 AM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: [TN] Happy Christmas with photo's Hi Techies As its almost Christmas, can I take this opportunity to wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year. I have sent Steve Gregory some photo's to put onto his web site that show some of the good friends I know from the TechNet. I especially like the one of Doug Pauls - I think you will too! Happy holidays Kindest regards Graham Naisbitt [log in to unmask] www.gen3systems.com Phone: +44 (0)12 5252 1500 Mobile: +44 (0) 79 6858 2121 --------------------------------------------------- Technet Mail List provided as a service by IPC using LISTSERV 15.0 To unsubscribe, send a message to [log in to unmask] with following text in the BODY (NOT the subject field): SIGNOFF Technet To temporarily halt or (re-start) delivery of Technet send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet NOMAIL or (MAIL) To receive ONE mailing per day of all the posts: send e-mail to [log in to unmask]: SET Technet Digest Search the archives of previous posts at: http://listserv.ipc.org/archives Please visit IPC web site http://www.ipc.org/contentpage.asp?Pageid=4.3.16 for additional information, or contact Keach Sasamori at [log in to unmask] or 847-615-7100 ext.2815 -----------------------------------------------------