<HTML style="FONT-SIZE: x-small; FONT-FAMILY: MS Sans Serif"><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=windows-1251"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1522" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY> <P> <DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>I was drafted to serve as my chapter's program chair,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>primarily responsible for coming up with topics for</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>technical training at our monthly meetings. My</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>quandry is coming up with topics that are of interest</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>to those who have been in the biz for 30 years. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>Newbies are easy. Everything is interesting to them</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>(me, us). </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>Would you, my fellow listers, take just a moment to</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>list your favorite technical topics? Perhaps a</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>sentence on what turned you on the most about it/them?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>Any chapter activity is fair game: technical classes,</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>discussions, experiments, forums, or tours, (perhaps</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>even social events like parties or picnics). What did</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>you do over the last year that you liked the most?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0>Thanks, </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=+0></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Might I suggest the Chapter Tool Kit, from the Home Office.  The Portland Chapter has a "Roll Yer Own" contest/technical every year. The criteria is: 1. You have 5 minutes to give a tip/technique with 5 minutes of questions. 2. All members are invited to participate. 3. When all have "presented", a secret ballot is taken. 4. The winner gets a sum equal to one year's Chapter dues. The second place winner gets 2/3 of the Chapter's dues. The third place winner gets 1/3 of the Chapter's dues. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>It is usually very informative and fun. This was originated by Richard Wagner and has been a mainstay for many years.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Another popular "technical" is a tool auction. All techs bring tools/parts/misc., that they no longer have use for. The "aucioneer" is the heart of this and should be someone who is a bit of a ham.<G> The whole thing is great fun and many come away with all kinds of "treasures".<G></FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>Regards,</FONT></DIV></DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV>Joe Garrett, R.P.T. (Oregon)</DIV> <DIV>Captain, Tool Police</DIV> <DIV>Squares R I</DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <DIV> </DIV> <P></P></BODY></HTML>