Researchers (from left) Bill Walsh and Ken Kemner (ER) re-enact an experiment examining Beethoven’s hair for production manager Scott Burton, sound recordist Sanjay Mehta, and cameraman Horst Zeidler. The crew, from Rhombus Media in Toronto, Canada, is producing a “docudrama” for the Canadian Broadcasting Company and for PBS.

Beethoven hair experiment
re-enacted for film

A camera crew visited the Advanced Photon Source (APS) May 11-13 to film the re-enactment of a highly- publicized experiment from 2000, when researchers using the APS confirmed that composer Ludwig van Beethoven's years of chronic illness were due to lead poisoning. This toxin also may have contributed to the 19th-century composer's death.

The crew, from Rhombus Media in Toronto, is producing a "docudrama" for the Canadian Broadcasting Company and for PBS. The air date has not been set, and the producers are still in the process of filming at other sites.

"The Advanced Photon Source is one of the most remarkable machines in the world, and I hope our program will do it justice," said Larry Weinstein, director of the film "Beethoven's Hair". "As a non-scientist, I am just amazed at things that scientists can accomplish."

Because the APS was shut down for routine maintenance, the filmmakers were able to access not only the Experiment Hall floor, but also the accelerator tunnels where the X-ray beam is produced.

In the experiment, the researchers found extraordinarily high levels of lead in strands of Beethoven's hair, according to Bill Walsh, chief scientist for the Health Research Institute in Naperville, a former Argonne scientist and principal investigator on the project.

The team performed nondestructive X-ray beam experiments at one of the X-ray beamlines operated by X-ray Operations and Research of the Experimental Facilities Division. The experiments involved side-by-side testing of six Beethoven hairs, a standard hair of known lead concentration and a thin film of standard "lead glass" with a known lead composition.

They found elevated lead levels that averaged about 60 parts per million (ppm) in the six Beethoven hairs. According to Walsh, average Americans today have 0.6 ppm of lead in their hair, about 100 times less than Beethoven.

Argonne researchers on the experiment included Ken Kemner (ER), Francesco De Carlo and Derrick Mancini (both XFD). The source of the composer's lead poisoning is unknown but could have been from drinking mineral water at spas, from dishes or wine stored in lead-lined flasks or from lead crystal.

Road, parking lot maintenance
will start in June at Argonne-East

Ongoing major maintenance projects related to Argonne-East roads, sidewalks and stormwater systems will affect several areas of the site this summer.

The project that will pose the biggest challenge to drivers will be the repaving of a short section of Bluff Road in front of Buildings 314, 315 and 316, east of the Advanced Photon Source. The road will be closed to drivers and pedestrians. The pavement will be completely removed by grinding and pulverizing down to the sub-base. The grindings will be recycled for use as sub-base on this project and a new four-inch asphalt surface will be installed. The roadway may be closed for about a month, starting in late June; detour routes will be posted. Parking space will be available south of Building 450 and northwest of Building 350.

Also starting in late June, the easternmost parking lot in front of Building 362 will be resurfaced. The lot will be closed for three to four weeks during the project. Building occupants can park in the larger lots just to the west.

Near Building 201, the sidewalk leading southeast to the Building 212 East parking lot will be closed for two to three weeks later in the summer for repairs to the sidewalk and installation of erosion-control and storm water detention system structures. Erosion and the failing culvert are causing the sidewalk to fall.

In addition, there will be pothole repairs and crosswalk and parking-lot striping at several areas around the site as part of annual maintenance work.

Safety trumps convenience in work zones

Construction zones are inherently dangerous places, and Argonne employees should avoid them at all times, said Phil Rash, group leader for Construction and Crafts (PFS-FEC). The machinery used in road repairs is unforgiving and can present a hazard even at long distances.

"Construction zones are hazardous even when the machines are stopped and workers have gone home for the day," Rash added. "There may be sharp edges, uneven or unstable ground, the list goes on and on."

Pedestrians and motorists should give work areas a wide berth, and all should always follow posted detours and obey signs around construction areas.

Lab's best to be honored

The University of Chicago Board of Governors Awards for Distinguished Performance and Outstanding Service will be presented at a ceremony Tuesday, June 15, at 2:30 p.m. in Argonne-East's Building 213 Cafeteria. All employees whose schedules permit are invited to attend.

Lawrence Harding (CHM), Romesh Kumar (CMT), James Proudfoot (HEP) and Wolfgang Sturhahn and Thomas S. Toellner (both XFD) will receive Distinguished Performance Awards, which recognize outstanding scientific or technical achievements or a distinguished record of achievements.

Outstanding Service Awards, the highest honor the university gives to Argonne employees in support positions, will be presented to John Greene (PHY), Vivian Kay Johnson (PFS), Marsha Mehaffey (NE) and Willis Ray (PFS-WMO).

Bad joke prompts emergency
action at ANL-East

One person's idea of a joke prompted emergency responders to take action at the Argonne-East site on Thursday, May 27.

At approximately 8:40 a.m., a visitor's car with four passengers approached the guards at Northgate, the laboratory's main entrance. The car was randomly selected to be searched. When the guard asked the passengers if they had anything to declare before the car was searched, one person said there were explosives in the car.

The protective force acted immediately, and Argonne emergency responders were called. Argonne security and fire department officers then called the DuPage County Sheriff's police, who arrived at the site within minutes. The DuPage County Bomb Squad also was called to the site. On the recommendation of DuPage County officers, a 1,500-foot perimeter was established around the gate resulting in the evacuation of the Argonne Information Center and Building 202.

Bomb squad technicians searched the car. Three items were removed and opened. No explosives were found. The individual who said the car contained explosives was taken into custody by DuPage County Sheriff's police and later charged with disorderly conduct and attempted disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors.

Northgate was reopened, and evacuees were allowed to return to their buildings at approximately 3:15 p.m.

"Our protective force and emergency responders did everything right. Thankfully, it turned out to be nothing, and no one was hurt," said Adam Cohen, EQO director. Cohen was the Emergency Response duty officer during the incident.

"Employees should remind their visitors that security is always foremost in our minds here at Argonne, and any comments about the presence of weapons, explosives, or any other statements perceived as threatening will be taken seriously," Cohen said. "If it's something you wouldn't joke about at an airport, you shouldn't joke about it here at Argonne."

Ask the Directorate

Q: Given the request earlier this year that staff take 10 days of vacation this summer, has the laboratory ever considered closing down for an assigned two-week period for summer vacation (similar to the Christmas/New Years break)? It may create a needed morale booster for employees and would definitely help reduce vacation accrual liability.

A: One of the most valued aspects of vacation is the flexibility to use it as you wish. Unlike the year-end holiday season, which is generally a highly prized vacation time, the rest of the year does not carry consensus, and mandating two specific summer weeks off would eliminate choice for the majority of each individual's days.

For the lab, closing during the summer would have a negative impact on the current practice of employees taking vacations on varying schedules.

Q. The laboratory appears to make it difficult for employees to access Argonne information online from home. When I've gone to the web site and tried to view job opportunities, employee handbook, etc., I've been stopped with a message indicating that my system needs to have 128-bit encryption. Aren't job opportunities supposed to be available to the general public? What does one have to do to access this information (along with the employee online information proposed for 2004)?

A. Job opportunities, procurement opportunities and a wide range of other intentionally public information is available to computers off-site, provided they have browsers with 128-bit encryption capabilities. These pages, though they require such browsers, are not encrypted. However, while all major browsers released in recent years support 128-bit encryption and though we make every effort to make such public information available, it is impossible to meet the requirements of all browsers.

Other information, such as the employee handbook and other policy materials, is proprietary and not intended for public access. It is only available through the Inside Argonne web site. Making it available to all home computers would make the site and our internal networks vulnerable. Therefore, Inside Argonne can only be accessed from computers at Argonne or from off-site computers that have been specifically enabled. Off-site computers are set up with secure access when an employee has a business need to access internal information when away from the laboratory. Doing so requires the approval of the individual's division director.

In sum, you can bring up any public information on any computer that uses one of the many browsers that support 128-bit encryption. You can reach proprietary or private information only from Argonne computers or from an outside computer set up for such access.

 If you have specific information you are not able to access from home that you believe should be public, please report it to the Help Desk at 2-9999 and it will be reviewed.

Employees may submit questions to askthedirectorate@anl.gov or fax them to ext. 2-5274. A link to the Ask-the-Directorate Web site can be found on the Inside Argonne home page at www.inside.anl.gov/.

AABL Club planning fundraiser

African American/Black Club (AABL) will host a combined recruitment drive and fundraiser picnic Friday, June 18, at 4 p.m.

The picnic will be held in the Argonne Park Pavilion. There will be food, beverages, music and games. All Argonne and Department of Energy employees are welcome to attend, and club members are encouraged to invite or bring co-workers who are not currently active in the club.

For more information, contact Eddie Davis (NE) at ext. 2-7083.

All invited to club's June runs

The Argonne Running Club is organizing two runs in June: the Magellan Run, to be held Saturday, June 12, at 8 a.m., and the Picnic Run, to be held Tuesday, June 15, at noon.

Both runs begin at the Waterfall Glen trailhead (in the parking lot at Cass and Northgate roads) and will follow the crushed limestone path in the Waterfall Glen Forest Preserve.

The 9.5-mile Magellan Run circumnavigates the Argonne-East site. Walkers and runners preferring a shorter distance are welcome, and maps with ideas for shorter routes will be provided. There will be water stops along the way and refreshments at the finish. This run takes place on the first weekend of the 18-week training season for the Chicago Marathon.

The Picnic Run includes a four-mile route for runners and a two-mile route for walkers. Picnic food will be provided at the finish.

Argonne Running Club running events are informal, not timed, and there is no cost. All site employees and their guests are welcome.

MATLAB software demonstration
planned at ANL-E

MathWorks will demonstrate two software products Tuesday, June 8, in Argonne-East's Building 617 Lower Level.

A seminar on MATLAB, software that accelerates research and reduces analysis and development time, is set for 9 a.m. to noon. A Simulink seminar is scheduled from 1:30 - 5 p.m. and will focus on using Simulink as an interactive tool for modeling, simulating and analyzing dynamic multidomain systems.

To register visit the MathWorks Web site at www.mathworks.com/seminars/anl. For more information, contact Michael Esposito at esposito@mathworks.com.

Computer Helpdesk, stockroom have new hours

The Computer and Instrumentation Solutions (CIS) Helpdesk and Stockroom have new hours of operation.

The CIS Helpdesk is staffed weekdays from 7:30 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Representatives are available to answer questions relating to Microsoft Windows, Macintosh, UNIX and Linux administration and technical support.

The CIS Helpdesk also handles computer rentals, repair and maintenance of desktop and laptop computers along with system installations. Support is provided for computing consulting, design of computer systems, PC and Mac vendor certified information, printer maintenance, and remote backups.

For more information or assistance, contact the Helpdesk at ext. 2-9999, option 2.

The CIS Stockroom is now open weekdays from 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The stockroom carries:

computers and monitors

software including Microsoft site-license media

hard drives, CD and DVD drives, memory, KVM switches, mice and keyboards

CD and DVD media, cables and connectors

Items can be ordered if they are not available in the stockroom. For more information or assistance, contact the Helpdesk at ext. 2-9999, option 2.

Radio, pager repair shop
has moved to new location

The Radio and Pager repair shop has moved to Argonne-East's Building 223, Room A038.

To find the shop, enter the double doors just left (north) of the main entrance, and follow the signs. The phone number remains ext. 2-7011, or ext. 2-7603.

Special Pepsi labels may be prize winners

During the next few weeks, some bottles of Pepsi products in vending machines at Argonne-East will have special labels that can be redeemed for prizes.

Any employee who purchases a product with the special label should call ext. 2-6517 for instructions on redeeming the label for a prize provided by Pepsi-Cola.

The promotion is sponsored by Business Enterprise Program for the Blind (BEPB), which provides vending services at Argonne-East.

TIAA/CREF offers new mutual funds

Representatives from TIAA/CREF will visit both Argonne sites to give presentations on new mutual funds and answer employee questions.

At Argonne-East, presentations will be held Wednesday, June 16, at noon in the Building 362 Auditorium and at 2:30 in the Building 203 Auditorium.

At Argonne-West, presentations will be held Tuesday, June 22, at 9 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. in L&O Conference Room.

Appointments for individual meetings with TIAA/CREF representatives can be made online or by phone. Argonne-East employees can reserve appointments by calling 1-800-842-2005, ext. 5613; at Argonne-West, employees can call 1-800-842-2009, ext. 2-2360.

Prostate screening offered
at Medical Department

A prostate cancer screening will be offered Wednesday, June 16, at the Argonne-East Medical Department in Building 201.

Screening will be performed by Laurence Levine, a board-certified urologist and professor of medicine at Rush Medical School. Levine is also director of the Male Sexual Function and Fertility Program at Rush Presbyterian St. Luke's Medical Center.

Screenings will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The cost is $70; checks should be made payable to Preventures. The receipt may be submitted to CIGNA insurance or a Flexible Spending Account for reimbursement.

For more information or to register, call ext. 2-2800.

Metlife rep will visit ANL-East

A representative from MetLife Auto and Home will visit Argonne-East Tuesday, June 8, and Tuesday, June 22, to meet with individual employees for insurance comparisons and quotes for the "METPAY" group automobile and homeowners insurance program.

To schedule an appointment, call Craig Riddick at (630) 810-0346, ext. 143. Employees can also receive a quote over the phone by calling 1-800-438-6388.

Questions about Social Security
to be answered

A representative of the Social Security Administration's Joliet office will visit Argonne-East's Human Resources office Wednesday, June 16, from 8 a.m. to noon.

The representative will:

Take applications for new Social Security cards, including original cards for newborns, corrected cards due to marriage, or replacement cards.

Help with earnings posting problems.

Answer general questions about the Social Security program.

To schedule a meeting with the Social Security representative, call ext. 2-2989.

Retirees

Robert G. Barr (CIS) retired May 28 with 42 years of service.

Francis R. Bradbury (PFS) retired May 28 with 36 years of service.

Miriam E. Bretscher (CIS) retired May 28 with 27 years of service.

Thomas Carten (PFS) retired May 28 with 12 years of service.

Raymond Dyson (PFS-CU) retired May 3 with 15 years of service.

Richard G. Foster (CIS) retired May 28 with 40 years of service.

Terry W. Grund (PFS) retired May 28 with 27 years of service.

Clifford Jackson (PFS) retired May 28 with 38 years of service.

James A. Johnson (PFS-WMO) retired May 28 with 14 years of service.

Walter L. Kazich (PFS) retired May 28 with 15 years of service.

Dolores J. Lagerquist (NPS) retired May 14 with 10 years of service.

Elaine M. London (EQO) retired May 27 with 16 years of service.

McLouis J. Robinet (EQO) retired May 28 with 36 years of service.

Sharon A. Schreader (OCF) retired May 5 with 15 years of service.

Robert W. Springer (DEP) retired May 28 with 22 years of service.

Paulette Windsor-Greene (IPD) retired May 28 with 24 years of service.